(10) OSMOTRERON BISINCTA BISINCTA (Jerdon). 
THE LESSER ORANGE-BREASTED GREEN PIGEON. 
(PLATE 3.) 
Vinago bisincta Jerdon, Madr. J.L.S., XII p. 13 (1840) ; id., Ill. I. Orn., p. 21. 
Vinago unicolor id., Madr. J.L.S., XI p. 14. 
Osmotreron bisincta id., B.I., IIL p. 449; Legge, B. Cey., II p. 725, IL 
p. 1218; Butler, J.B.N.H.S., X p. 311; Taylor, Str. Feath., X p. 463; 
Ferguson, J.B.N.H.8., XVI p. 1. 
Vernacular Names. Chitta putsa guwa, Tel.; Patcha-praa, Tamil in 
Ceylon ; Batta-goya, Singhalese. 
Description. This subspecies only differs from the last in being very 
decidedly smaller, with a wing of only 5.65 in. (or 143.5 mm. against 158.5 mm. 
in the northern and eastern form). The male and female differ from one 
another in exactly the same way as do those of the Common Orange-breasted 
Pigeon. 
one Bill greenish glaucus; legs pinkish-red; irides red, surmounted by 
a blue circle” (Jerdon). 
“Tris carmine outwardly and beautifully cobalt blue inwardly ; divided 
by a narrow dark ring, eyelid glaucus green; bill with the soft basal half 
glaucus green, and the terminal half pale blue; legs and feet coral red or 
pink red; claws bluish brown” (Legge). 
Distribution. Ceylon, Malabar, and the Bombay Presidency as far 
north as Kanara, the south of Madras to about latitude 14°; and it has also 
been recorded by Jerdon from the Carnatic and east of Nellore. 
Although so very closely allied to the last bird this subspecies appears 
to have a very well-defined habitat, and there seems to be a very wide stretch 
of country in north Madras, the extreme south of Orissa, and the Central 
Provinces, where no form of Orange-breasted Green Pigeon is to be found, 
or if it does occur at all, only with extreme rarity. Consequent on this 
definitive gap in their distribution, we have a very well-defined difference in 
the measurements of the two subspecies, as already shown. 
This appears to be one of those interesting cases in which a race of birds 
has established itself, and thriven at some distance from its parent stock 
whilst the intermediate area has proved unsuitable, so that the intervening 
form inhabiting it has, or will very shortly have, died out. Legge went into 
the question of the racial difference of this Pigeon from the Indian form, but 
only compared his Ceylon specimens with those from south India, from which, 
as he says, they cannot be divided. 
Nidification. The breeding-season of this bird is variously reported 
by different collectors. Layard took its nest in May, but Legge says that 
it also breeds in August. Sykes took its eggs, which he very kindly sent 
me, near Kandy in February and March, and Jenkins collected three clutches 
for me in January and February. 
