(3o) PALUMBUS PALUMBUS CASIOTIS Bp. 



THE EASTERN WOOD-PIGEON, RING-DOVE, OR CUSHAT. 



(Plate 16.) 



Columba palumhus (part) Blyth, J.A.S.B., XIV p. 866. 



Palumbus torquatus var.? Blyth, Cat. B.M.A.S.B., p. 233. 



Palumbus casiotis Bp., Con. Av., 11 p. 42 ; Jerdon, B.I., III p. 464 ; 

 Stoliczka, J.A.S.B., XXXVII pt. 2 p. 66 ; Cock and Marsh, Str. Feath., 

 I p. 358 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 497 ; id., Str. Feath., VIII p. 109 ; 

 id.. Cat. no. 784 ; Butler, Str. Feath., VIII pp. 386, 500 ; id. ib., IX 

 p. 298 ; Barnes, ib., pp. 218, 457 ; Swinhoe, ib., p. 237 ; Gates, in Hume's 

 Nests and Eggs, 2nd ed., p. 346; Blanf., Avi. Brit. I., IV p. 34; 

 Marshall, J.B.N.H.S., XV p. 352 ; Ward, ib., p. 943 ; Magrath, ib., 

 XIX p. 142 ; Perreau, ib., XIX p. 919 ; Wliitehead, ib., XX p. 967. 



Columba casiotis Salvadori, Cat. B.M., XXI p. 302 ; Sharpe, Hand-List, 

 I p. 70 ; Gates, Cat. Eggs B.M., I p. 91. 



Vernacular Name. Dahnud, Hin., Chamba. 



Description. — Adult male. Whole head and neck dark grey, the clun 

 and throat sometimes slightly paler than the rest, the lower hind-neck glossed 

 with green- or purple-copper according to the light in which the bird is seen ; 

 a broad bufi semi-collar on the lower hind-neck and shoulders, interrupted 

 in the middle with grey, glossed as in the neck ; below the buff collar there 

 is a broad expanse all round tlie shoulders glossed with green and purple ; 

 but the green is tlie dominant slieen next the collar, and the copper -jjurple 

 more strong below this next tlie back, so tliat in the same light the green 

 and purple reflections are both visible at the same time on these two portions. 

 Upper-back, scapulars, quills, smaller and median coverts, light earth-brown, 

 changing to grey on the outer median coverts ; outermost secondary-coverts 

 pure white on the outer web, and those next tliem with a white border forming 

 two oblique bands of white across the wing ; edge of shoulder of wing and 

 primary-coverts dark brown, the inner ones grey on the outer webs and edged 

 white ; tlie primaries are also edged white on the outer webs. Back, rump, 

 and upper taU-coverts dark ashy-grey ; tail brownish-black with a broad 

 grey band across the middle, lighter and broader on the outermost featliers. 

 Breast viiious-pink, darkest next to tlie neck and gradually becommg paler 

 and changing to pale dove-grey on the flanks, abdomen, and under tail-coverts. 

 Tail below black with a broad white band across the middle corresponding 

 to the grey band above. 



Colours of soft parts. Irides pale yellow, yellowisli-white, or almost 

 white ; cere of bill almost white, base of bill carmine-orange or orange-red, 

 whitisli -livid in the centre and orange at the tip ; legs and feet coral-red, 

 not very bright. 



