CEYLON PIGEONS AND GAME BIRDS. 355 
evening. At such times they can be approached with more 
chance of success. Old birds are apt to be tough, but young 
ones are tender and good to eat. The call is a fine deep 
dissyllabic coo. 
The nest is the usual scanty saucer of twigs placed at a 
height of about 20 feet or more on a tree in the heart of the 
jungle. The nesting season appears to be in April and May. 
A single smooth white egg is laid, measuring about 1°65 by 
1°30. 
DucuLa CuPREA (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 22 ; not in Legge). 
Jerdon’s Imperial Pigeon. 
Description.—Upper part of head, neck, and shoulders pale 
lilac-gray, remainder of upper plumage, including wings, dark 
olive-brown, with little or no gloss; rump and upper tail 
coverts almost the same colour as the back ; basal portion of 
tail dark chocolate-brown, outer third lighter brown. Chin 
and throat white; remainder of lower parts grayish-lilac ; 
abdomen and hinder flanks tinged with ochreous ; under tail 
coverts buff with dusky freckles. 
Bill dull lake-red at the base, slaty at the tip ; iris reddish- 
brown ; legs dull lake-red. 
Length 17 ; wing 8°75; tail7; tarsus 1-1; bill from gape 1 °4. 
Distribution —In recent years a breeding bird and an egg 
have been obtained in the Ratnapura District.* In India 
this Pigeon, which is considered by Stuart Baker to be a 
sub-species of the Himalayan form D. insignis, occurs on the 
Nilgiris and other hill ranges near the Malabar Coast. 
Habits —This species has only recently been discovered in 
Ceylon, but as the nest and egg were taken, it would appear 
to be a very rare resident in the jungles of the Adam’s Peak 
range. In the South Indian hills it keeps to heavy forest, 
but at certain seasons it migrates in large numbers to the 
coast to feed on the buds of various plants which grow in 
salt-water swamps. 
The breeding season in Southern India is from January to 
April and again in November. 


* Vide Stuart Baker, ‘‘ Indian Pigeons and Doves,” p. 107. 
