376 COLUMBID^. 



grass-stalks. The nests were 5 or G inches in diameter ; the de- 

 pression hardly more than | inch in depth. The eggs, two in 

 number, were both a good deal incubated. They are pure white, 

 and measured about 1"12 by 0'87. On one nest I shot the female, 

 on another the male with its beautiful maroon mantle." 



One egg sent me by Mr. Darling measured 1*08 by 0'84. 



Mr. r. W. Bourdillon kindly favoured me with an egg of the 

 Malabar Green Pigeon, which he procured in the Assamboo Hills 

 on the 24th February. The egg was a little set, and was placed 

 on a very slight nest of twigs some six inches in diameter. The 

 nest was built upon a bough, at a height of some 40 feet from 

 the ground. 



For the size of this bird the egg seems small ; it only measures 

 1-02 by 0*87 ; it is therefore a very broad oval, but it is very 

 slightly pointed towards one end. The shell is fine and com])act, 

 but thickly studded with minute pores, and has but little gloss. 

 It is of course pure white. 



Another egg subsequently sent to me measured I'll by 0*85. 



Osmotreron phayrii, Blyth. Phayres Green Pu/eon. 



Osmotreron pliayrii, BL, Jerd. B. hid. ii, p. 451 ; Hume, Cat. 

 no. 776. 



Mr. J. Darling, junior, writes : — "March 19th, Took a nest 

 of Osmotreron pliayrii, with one fledged young one, and one bad 

 egg. It was built in a tree 18 feet from ground, on a small hill 

 covered with bamboo jungle. It was the ordinary disreputable 

 platform of twigs, of about 6 inches in diameter, and the central 

 depression had to be well looked at before it could be discerned. 

 This nest was found on a small range of hills about 3 miles east 

 of Tavoy, at an elevation of some 600 feet." 



The eggs seem as a body * to be rather elongated ovals, though 

 here and there a fairly broad one occurs, and are often a good deal 

 pointed at the small end. They are of course pure white and 

 have a fine gloss, in some specimens almost equal to that of Merops 

 and Coracias. 



Osmotreron chloroptera (Blyth). The Andaman Green 

 Pigeon. 



Osmotreron chloroptera {BL), Hume, Mouyh Draft N. ^ E. no. 777 

 bis. 



The Andaman Green Pigeon probably breeds in May and June. 

 Early in May Davison saw one carrying a twig to the top of a 

 slender tree standing on the outskirts of the forest near Port 

 Blair, where it was apparently building its nest. 



* Mr. Hume appears to have received several eggs of this species from his 

 correspondents, but I cauuot find any notes regarding the discovery of these 

 eggs.— Ed. 



