Sabaragamuwa Province, Ceylon. 549 



COLUMB.^. 



159. Palumbus torringtoni.'e (Legge, B. of C. p. 693, 



pi. XXX.). 



Locally distributed in Sabaragamuwa, and chiefly confined 

 to the hills, though not uncomuioa in the neighbourhood of 

 the dry zone when certain laurels are iu fruit, these mag- 

 nificent Pigeons then becoming suddenly abundant. Though 

 an endemic species, I have never obtained the eggs. 



160. TURTUR SURATENSIS (Leggc, B. of C. p. 705). 



The commonest Dove of the country, and to be found in 

 both wet and dry districts up to 3O0O feet. The "Alu- 

 Korbeyo " of the Singalese form quite a feature of the bird- 

 life of the rice-fields, more especially in the dry districts, 

 where at the end of the rice-harvest they may be found in 

 thousands. The breeding-season is from the end of February, 

 but it is not unusual to find nests in December. The nest 

 is of the crudest construction and placed in any situation, 

 from a low bush to a depression on the bough of a tree. The 

 eggs are two in number, pure white and very glossy. 



161. Chalcophaps indica (Legge, B. of C. p. 714). 



The Bronze-winged Dove is perhaps the best known of the 

 Ceylonese Columbae. It is to be found in all the wet forest- 

 lands of the province right down to the borders of the 

 dry zone and up to the Horton Plains, but at high altitudes 

 it is not so plentiful. I am uncertain as to the correct 

 breeding-season of the species, as I have found it nesting in 

 both monsoons. The eggs are two in number and pure 

 white in colour. 



162. Carpophaga ^nka (Legge, B. of C. p. 718). 



This splendid Fruit-Pigeon has a curious distribution in 

 the Sabaragamuwa Province, as it is found in both the very 

 wet as well as in very dry parts of it. I have found it up the 

 valley of Kaluganga river, the Wallaway river, the Kalani 

 river, and the Maha Oya stream, but it is met with in 

 greatest abundance in the Kolonna Korali, where it is often 

 to be found in large flocks. I have questioned many natives 



