GEenus—SPHENOCERCUS. 
The genus Sphenocercus is very closely allied to Osmotreron in its 
general outward characteristics, but it differs from that genus, and 
from all other genera of the subfamily T’reroninae, in having no sinuation 
on the inner web of the third primary, and in having the tail-feathers 
somewhat lengthened and graduated. In regard to its bill it is nearest 
to Osmotreron, the soft basal part or cere covering even a greater 
portion of the bill than it does in that bird, occupying about two-thirds 
of its total length. 
The under tail-coverts in our two Indian species are very long, 
exceeding in length the outermost rectrices. 
Both our species are, for Green Pigeon, rather big birds, with a 
wing exceeding 7 in. 
Salvadori recognizes eight species of Green Pigeon in this genus, 
but of these at least three, and probably four—sieboldi, sororius, formosae, 
and permagnus—must be relegated to the rank of subspecies of our 
Indian sphenurus, or if the first-named can be considered a good species, 
then the three latter will be subspecies of sieboldi. 
Key to the Species. 
A. Central tail-feathers acuminate and anne two or three 
inches beyond the next pair as ... WS. apicauda. 
B. Central tail-feathers not acuminate, aa only a little longer 
than the next pair... = a : ane ... S. sphenura. 
(14) SPHENOCERCUS APICAUDA (Hodg.). 
THE PIN-TAILED GREEN PIGEON. 
(PLaTE 6.) 
Treron apicauda (Hodg.), Blyth, J.A.S.B., XTV p. 854 (1845). 
Sphenocercus apicaudus id., Cat. B.MAS.B., p. 230; Jerdon, B.I., II 
p. 454; Godw.-Aus., JAS.B., XXIX pt. 2 p. 3; Wald., in Blyth’s 
B. Burma, p. 144; Hume and Davison, Str. Feath., VI p. 415; Hume, 
Cat. no. 779; id., Str. Feath., VIII POOR sad abs. ext. 292 ; Stuart 
Baker, Ibis 1896, p. 356; Harington, B. Burma, p. 64; Stuart Baker, 
J.B.N.H.S., X p. 364; Inglis, ib., XI p. 475; Stuart Baker, ib., XVII 
peo: Harington, ib., XIX p. 308 ; id. ib., XX p. 1010; Cook, ib., XXiI. 
p. 674. 
