TRERON. 15 



ORDER, GEMITORES— Pigeons and Doves. 



Bill short, straight, compressed, front half of mandible vaulted and curved 

 at the tip, the base with a soft fleshy membrane, in which are the nostrils ; 

 wings moderate or long; tail variable, of 12, 14, or 16 feathers, even or rounded ; 

 tarsi strong. Habits monogamous. Both sexes assist in making the nest, 

 incubating the eggs, and feeding the young. Nests loosely constructed of twigs, 

 straw, and almost any material which could be readily got and built on trees, 

 roof of buildings or ledges and holes in rocks ; eggs two in number, white. 

 They feed on fruit and grain, and in feeding the young disgorge the food from 

 their craw. 



All Pigeons and Doves are excellent food, and especially the nearly full- 

 grown young of the former, which like the adults make good pie and stew. 

 Adult pigeons however need skinning if required for the table within six hours. 

 If kept above this space of time, properly eviscerated, skinning need not 

 be resorted to. To the Treronidse, Columbidse, and Turturinas also, these 

 remarks apply. Leaving out the Ortolans and perhaps the Jowaree Birds 

 {Pastor roseus), and Sturnus vulgaris there is nothing I believe so nice and 

 tender as the Doves. In fact all the members of the Order Gemitares require 

 a cofinoisseur to estimate their value as flesh food after having left a good 

 cuisine. One important fact remains to be added, and that is, while Ortolans, 

 Pastors, Starlings, and most game birds can only be had at certains seasons, 

 Pigeons and Doves are resident with us throughout the year, and are found in 

 immense numbers. The following are all the species known in India, and 

 used as food. 



Family, TRERONIDi^— Fruit Pigeons. 

 Bill variable, short, thick, or slender ; tip vaulted ; tail of 14 feathers; tarsi 

 more or less feathered, the bare portion reticulated. 

 Qen. TVQVOn.— Vieill. 

 Bill strong and deep ; eyes surrounded by a nude space. 



16. Treron nipalensis {Hodgs.), Jerd., B. ind. n. p. 445, 



No. 771 ; Hume, Sir. F. iii. p. 160; BIyth mid Wald., B. Burm.^. 163; 

 Jhune and Dav., Sir, F. vi. p. 410; Hume, Str.F.\\\\. p. 109; Bingham, 

 Sir. F. ix. p. 193 ; Oates, Sir, F. x. 235 ; id., B. Br. Burm. ii. p. 306. 

 Murray, Avif. Br. Ind. ii. p. 497. No. 1 140.— The Thick-billed Green 

 Pigeon. 



Head and nape ashy, paler on the crown and tinged with greenish on 

 the nape ; rest of the plumage bright green, except the back, scapulars, 

 and most of the wing coverts, which are maroon ; other coverts and 

 tertiaries green, the median series broadly edged with yellow ; greater coverts 

 blackish, edged with yellow ; primaries and their coverts black, the latter 

 narrowly edged with white ; secondaries black, edged externally with yellow ; 



