(22) CALAENAS NICOBARICA (Linn.). 
THE NICOBAR PIGEON. 
(Pate 10.) 
Columba nicombariensis Briss., Orn., I p. 154 (1760). 
Columba nicobarica Linn., Syst. Nat., I p. 283, no. 27 (1766); Lath., Ind. 
Orn., IT p. 605. 
Columba gouldiae Gray and Hardw., Ill. I. Zool., If pl. 57. 
Geophilus nicobaricus Blyth, Cal. J.N.H., I p. 605. 
Caloenas nicobarica Gray, List Gen. B., p. 59 (1840); Ball, J.A.S.B., XX XIX 
pt. 2 p. 32; id., Str. Feath., I p. 81; Hume, ib., II pp. 133, 271, 481; 
Hume and Dav., ib., VI p. 425; Hume, Cat. no. 798, bis; Oates, 
B. Burma, II p. 299; id., in Hume’s Nests and Eggs, 2nd ed., IT p. 365; 
Salvadori, Cat. B.M., XXI p. 615; Blanf., Avi. Brit. 1, IV p. 24; 
Sharpe, Hand-List, I p. 91; Oates, Cat. Eggs B.M., I p. 106; Butler, 
J.B.N.H.S., XII p. 690; Osmaston, ib., XVII p. 489; id. ib., XVIII 
pp. 201, 202, 359. 
Calaenas nicobarica Blyth, J.A.S.B., XV p. 371; id., Cat. B.M.A.S.B., p. 238. 
Calaenas nicobaricus Jerdon, B.I., IIL p. 480; Hume, Str. Feath., IL p. 70. 
Vernacular Name, Lo-wng, Nicobarese. 
Description.—Adult male. Head, neck, and upper-breast deep slaty- 
black, in perfect specimens having a beautiful purple-blue sheen; shorter 
neck-hackles the same, but glossed with metallic green near the tips; longer 
hackles metallic blue or copper-bronze, but nearly all with narrow margins 
of deep blue-black and dark green shaft-stripes. Upper-plumage from shoulders 
to upper tail-coverts, lesser and median wing-coverts, and innermost secondaries 
brilliant metallic-green, but varying greatly in individuals. In some the 
greater portion is a copper-bronze, in a few specimens becoming almost a 
flaming copper-colour, whilst in a few others the copper tint is almost absent ; 
shoulder of wing, greater coverts, and outer secondaries deep prussian-blue 
with more or less of a metallic sheen and a varying amount of green gloss ; 
primaries blue-black on the visible portions and brown-black on the inner 
webs and concealed portions of outer webs; tail with a few of the longest 
upper coverts and all the lower coverts white. Lower-plumage from breast 
to vent, flanks, and under aspect of wings metallic green, more or less marked 
with prussian-blue. 
Colours of soft parts. “Legs and feet dull purplish lilac, bill greyish 
black ; irides hazel nut brown” (Davison). 
“*Trides white ” (Sir J. Ingram). 
“* Trides buff ” (Layard). 
