(29) DENDROTRERON HODGSONI (Vigors). 



THE SPECKLED WOOD-PIGEON. 



(Plate 15.) 



Columha hodgsoni Vigors, P.Z.S. 1832, p. 16 ; Blyth, J.A.S.B., XIV p. 867 ; 

 Salvadori, Cat. B.M., XXI p. 274 ; Sharpe, Hand-List, I p. 70. 



Columha nepalensis Hodg., J.A.S.B., V p. 122. 



Dendrotreron hodgsoni Hodg., in Gray's Zool. Miscel., p. 85 ; Hume, 

 Nests and Eggs, p. 497 ; Blanf., Avi. Brit. I., IV p. 3.3 ; Ward, J.B.N.H.S., 

 XVII p. 943 ; Harington, B. Burma, p. 67. 



Alsocomus hodgsonii Blyth, Cat. B.M.A.S.B., p. 233 ; Jerdon, B.I., III 

 p. 463 ; Stoliczka, J.A.S.B., XXXVII pt. n p. 65 ; Blanf., ib., XLI 

 pt. 2, p. 70; Hume, Str. Freath., VIII p. 109; id., Cat. no. 783; 

 Scully, Str. Feath., VIII p. 399 ; Oates, in Hume's Nests and Eggs, 

 2nd ed., II p. 346. 



Vernacular Names. H ag rani Daohu/curunia, Cachaii; Pahari Pagooma, 

 Assamese. 



Description. — Adult male. Wliole head, chin, throat and upper-neck 

 ashy-grey, tlie cliin generally paler and sometimes the centre of the throat 

 also ; lo^^•er-neck and upper-breast the same as the head, the bases of the 

 feathers blackish-grey, this blackish colour gradually increasing in extent and 

 becoming a claret-red until on the upper-back the grey edges to the feathers 

 have disappeared, and the back, shorter scapulars, and lesser wing-coverts 

 are a claret-red or claret-maroon ; longer scapulars, lower-back, and rump 

 slaty-brown, rump darker than the other parts and contrasting with the 

 dark dove-grey upper tail-coverts, the longest of which and the rectrices 

 themselves are a dark bro\^-n. Median wing-coverts claret-red, speckled with 

 white gradually changing to very dark dove-grey or slaty-grey on the outer- 

 most and greater coverts ; primary-coverts and quills dark bro\\-n, but not 

 quite as dark as the tail. Below, the feathers of tlie breast are centred dark 

 claret-red bordered with grey, as the abdomen is approached the grey becomes 

 less and less in extent and more suffused with pink until on the abdomen 

 itself the grey only consists of spots, disappearing altogether on the posterior 

 flanks ; tibial plumes, region of the vent, and under tail-coverts dark slaty- 

 grey, this merging into and not contrasting with the red of the abdomen. 

 Under aspect of wings tinged with grey on tlie smaller coverts. 



Colours of soft parts. Bill black, purplish in the high lights and some- 

 times livid-black on the cere. Irides white or hoary-white, the surrounding 

 orbital skin livid-grey or slate-colour ; legs and feet dark dull green, almost 

 black in front of the tarsus and paler and more yellow behind ; claws pale 

 bright yellow. 



Measurements. Length 14 in. to 16 in. ( = 355.6 to 406.4 mm.) ; wing 

 9 in. to 9.5 in. ( = 228.6 to 243.3 mm.) ; tail about 5.5 in. to 6.0 in. ( = 139.7 



