POMPADOUR GREEN PIGEON 4] 
Mr. J. Stuart has also worked Travancore for the last ten years or so 
with great thoroughness, employing an army of observers in the location 
of birds and nests, but has failed altogether to ever come across, or to obtain 
a specimen, of the Pompadour Green Pigeon. 
Nidification. There is practically nothing on record regarding the 
nidification of this Green Pigeon. Butler found a nest being built in June, 
but the bird did not lay, and no description is given of the nest. Parker, in 
Stray Feathers, merely states that the average of eight eggs is 1.15 in. by 0.88, 
and observes that “this bird deserts its nests on the least possible provo- 
cation.” One pair of Parker’s eggs sent to me was taken on 24.5.88, and is 
said to have come from “a small roughly-made nest of sticks placed in 
a sapling.” 
I have a fair series of these eggs taken by W. Jenkins, chiefly at or about 
Welgampola. They are, of course, pure white, and of the usual smooth but 
not very close texture, and in shape broad ellipses, with the exception of 
one pair, which are somewhat lengthened. They vary in length between 
1.10 in. (= 27.9 mm.) by 1.21 ( — 30.7 mm.) and in breadth between .91 in. 
( = 23.1 mm.) and .96 ( = 24.4 mm.). 
No nests were sent me with the eggs, but they were described as 
rough platforms of twigs interlaced with one another with the slightest 
of depressions in the centre, and measuring about 6 in. across. In no case 
was there any lining, and all the nests were either on high bushes or small 
trees in forests. 
This is a bird of both hill and plains country, being found at certain 
seasons at the level of the sea, and at others as high as 4,000 ft., whilst 
it is resident practically over the greater part of this area. The one 
essential is that the country should be well wooded, and it is seldom, 
if ever, to be found outside forest-land, or at least land that is well 
timbered, though it may wander into the open country, or short 
distances away from forest when tempted by plentiful feeding. 
It appears to be entirely frugivorous in its diet, though it would 
doubtless soon take to grain in captivity. A pair I saw in a cage in 
Slave Island, Ceylon, were fed entirely on bread and milk and plantains, 
and they seemed to be in a very good condition. 
There is very little on record about this Green Pigeon except as 
recorded by Legge in his Birds of Ceylon. He there writes: “ This 
Pigeon is an inhabitant of woods, forests, and open timbered country : 
it collects together in the fine Banyan, Bo, and Palu trees, which are 
scattered through the low jungles of the eastern and northern Districts, 
and also in the magnificent outspreading Mee trees which line the 
borders of the jungle tanks, and in such resorts feeds in flocks on the 
luscious berries which these large trees provide. Its flesh is at all 
times delicious; but when killed during the fruiting time of the Banyan 
and ironwood, there is nothing which surpasses this Pigeon in flavour 
