EASTERN STOCK-PIGEON 149 



8.25 in. ( = 209.5 mm.), there is no other bird with a wing of over 8.05 in. 

 ( = 204.4 mm.), and this Turkestan bird in size somewhat approaches 

 typical oenas oenas. 



Adult female. Similar to the male ; perhaps a trifle duller in general tint. 



Colours of soft parts, as in adult male. 



Measurements. The female is generally supposed to be rather smaller 

 than the male, but curiously enough, in the very small series of sexed females 

 in the British Museum, only six in number, the opposite is the case, and the 

 average ^ving -measurement is 8.07 in. ( = 205 mm.). It is probable, however, 

 that in a large series the female would prove to be smaller than the male, as 

 it is in the European Stock-Dove. 



Young male has not yet been described but will certainly be found to 

 differ from the adult in the same way that the young of its European 

 cousin does, in wanting the black markings on the wing, and being duller 

 and browner in tone. 



Distribution. According to nearly all authors, the Eastern Stock- 

 Pigeon is a migratory bird, summering in Central Asia and visiting India 

 only in tlie cold weather, and in this country only coming into the Punjab, 

 Sind, the North-West Provinces, and United Provinces and the Himalayas 

 as far east as Tibet. It has also been recorded as far east as Behar flhere 

 " it puts in an appearance every cold weather." 



The Eastern Stock-Pigeon, or Stock-Dove as it is more usually called in 

 England, is only a geograjihical race of Columba oenas oenas, the European 

 bird. It differs in the first place in being very much smaller, but in colour 

 also there are many differences. The head in the Eastern form is vinous, 

 in the Western a pure grey, and whilst the neck-patch in the former is very 

 coiLspicuous and purple, in the latter it is less conspicuous and green instead 

 of purple ; the lower-back also is white instead of grey in our Indian bird. 

 Perhaps the most important difference, hovi'ever, though it is one which seems 

 to have escaped notice, is that shown by the under wing -co verts and axillaries, 

 which are white in the Eastern bird and dark grey in the Western. 



Tlie grey of C. eversmanni is generally ashy above, whilst in oenas it is 

 a pure dove-grey, and the grey band on the tail is much more conspicuous 

 in tJie Indian than in the European bird. 



Intermediate forms between the two are naturally sometimes met with, 

 even if they are not common like the intermediate forms between the Eastern 

 and Western Rock-Pigeons. The Afghan Commission obtained four such 

 birds, three male and one female, all of which differ from tyjjical eversmanni 

 in having tlie lower-back a pale grey instead of white, and the under \ring- 

 coverts also not a pure white. The same Commission, it sliould be noted, 

 also obtained a quite typical specimen of the Western bird. I do not propose 

 to give the Afghan bird any distinguishing name, looking upon it merely 

 as the connecting link residing in an area where the two forms meet. 



Nidification. At present there is no record of this bird breeding within 

 Indian limits, but it seems more than possible that a certain number of birds 

 may stay and breed in Ladak and the higher ranges of the extreme north- 

 western Himalayas. Reid, writing of the birds of tlie Lucknow Division, 

 speaks of them staying there in these hottest of Indian jjlains until May, 

 and if they stay as late as this in the plains of India, it would seem certain 

 that they must breed somewhere close by. In the Altai, if indeed it is 

 eversmanni we get there, they lay as early as the first half of May, at a time 

 when they are said to have only just left the plains of India, for I have 

 eggs from Kobdo taken on the 5th of May, 1906. 



