24 INDIAN PIGEONS AND DOVES 
green bird sitting like a wooden figure—you fire and two fall, and a 
dozen fly off. If you are as other men, you will probably utter loud 
and naughty words, for if you had known there were so many birds 
you might easily have had a second shot at them as they flew. But 
if you are wise, you will rule your spirit and be still, for there may be 
a score of Pigeons in the tree yet, and others will come in small parties 
from time to time, so that, with patience, you may make a very 
respectable bag before the feeding-hour is over. Then remorse will 
have its turn, perhaps, as you gather up the fallen, and see what 
loveliness you have destroyed for the sake of your stomach.” 
It is extremely common in Mysore, where however it appears 
to be locally migratory, not visiting the hills until after the rains, and 
presumably breeding lower down and in the plains Taylor says that 
they were so plentiful that one evening he shot forty-six, and on one 
occasion got eleven and seven respectively to his first and second 
barrels, showing that they must have been in very large and densely 
flying flocks. 
