CAEPOPHAGA. 369 



" The nests, which are of a very insignificant character, consist 

 of a collection of little sticks, and are exceedingly small for the size 

 of the bird. The nests were always in small trees, and never at 

 any great height from the ground, 15 feet being the highest and 

 10 feet the lowest that I have found them at. In every instance 

 one egg only was laid." 



The eggs are broad regular ovals, sometimes, however, a little 

 elongated and slightly pointed towards one end ; they are of 

 course pure white in colour, and exhibit a faint gloss. Three eggs 

 measure 1-68, 1-73, and 1-76 in length, by 1-32, 1-26, and 1-29 

 respectively in breadth. 



Carpophaga griseicapilla (Wald.). The Grey-headed Imj^erial 



Pigeon. 

 Carpophaga griseicapilla ( Wald.), Hume., Cat. no, 781 ter. 



Mr. W. Davison writes from Tenasserim : — 



" While ascending the north-west slope of Mooleyit on the 27th 

 of January I flushed a Pigeon (which I shot) off her nest in a 

 small sapling growing close to the path, but in very heavy virgin 

 forest. The nest was the usual Pigeon-type of nest, a mere 

 apology, of a few dry twigs loosely put together. There was only 

 one egg fresh, but the female, on dissection, showed no signs of 

 being about to lay another, so it is probable that one egg only 

 is laid by this species. This egg is of course pm-e white and 

 glossy, nearly the same thickness at both ends, but a little pointed 

 towards the smaller end. It measures I'Gl in length by 1*15 in 

 width." 



Carpophaga hicolor (Scop.). The Pied Imperial Pigeon. 



Carpophaga bicolor {Scop.), Hume, Rough Draft N. <^- E. uo. 781 

 quat. 



Captain Wimberley, to whom I owe the single egg of the Pied 

 Lnperial Pigeon that I possess, remarks: — "I obtained this egg 

 on Trinkut Island (Nicobars) during the first week of February. 

 The nest was built of sticks and twigs, and was very similar to 

 that of our English Wood-Pigeon. There was only one egg in the 

 nest, and it was much addled. The nest was placed in a low 

 mangrove-tree overhanging the river, and the old bird flew off the 

 nest as I drew near to it, but I failed to shoot it." 



The egg is of a longish o\al shape, a good deal pointed towards 

 the small end, pure white, and tolerably glossy. It measures 1*78 

 by 1-25. 



Mr. Davison remarks : — "Although I did not obtain the nest or 

 eggs of this bird myself at the JS'icobars, from all I coiild ascertain 

 from the convicts, &c., these birds breed in January, February, and 

 March, building their nests, which, like those of other Pigeons, 

 are merely a platform of sticks, by preference in the mangroves, 

 and laying usually only one white egg. I observed it on the Great 

 Cocos, but did not meet with it at the Andamans." 



VOL. II. 24 



