116 INDIAN PIGEONS AND DOVES 
Pigeon breeding on the same island. Each of the two nests contained a single 
egg, quite fresh and only differing from those of the bird just mentioned in 
being a trifle larger, 1.92 by 1.32 in. 
Osmaston states that “the fresh egg of Calaenas may, moreover, be 
recognised from that of Myristicivora by the colour of the membrane under- 
lying the shell, which imparts a delicate purple tinge to the egg of the former, 
that of the latter being pure white or faintly yellow.” 
Later on Osmaston got a fine series of these eggs from Battye Malve 
in the end of March, 1907, and was good enough to send me a considerable 
number. These eggs are rather long, regular ovals like those of the Pied 
Imperial Pigeon, and like those of that bird, are often curiously pointed 
at one end. In texture they cannot be distinguished from the eggs of 
Myristicivora, but it is very curious that even in eggs some five years old 
the difference in the colour of the membrane is still quite distinct, for, whereas, 
that of the egg of the Pied Pigeon is a pale lemon-yellow, that of the egg of 
the Nicobar bird is almost an orange-yellow. 
My eggs vary from 1.82 to 2.15 in. ( = 46.2 to 55.1 mm.) in length, and 
from 1.30 to 1.36 in. ( = 33 to 34.5 mm.) in breadth, the average being 1.95 by 
1.34 in. ( = 49.6 by 33.9 mm.). 
It breeds freely in captivity, and both this bird and the last have frequently 
reared their single young ones in the Calcutta Zoo. They feed the young, 
of course, in the same manner as do all other Pigeons and Doves, that is to say, 
on regurgitated and partially digested food. The late Mr. Sanyal, Keeper 
of the Calcutta Zoological Gardens, told me that they were excellent parents, 
both male and female sharing in the incubation of the egg and the care of 
the young bird. 
Davison’s full and interesting notes on this Pigeon contain so much 
information, that I quote them here in full. He writes as follows in the — 
second volume of Stray Feathers: “ On Katchall Island I first observed 
these birds ‘at home’ if I may use the expression ; I met with them 
in the vicinity of some caves situated in the forest about a mile from the 
shore, sometimes singly, at other times a pair together, and occasionally 
in small parties about half a dozen to a dozen. I went several times to 
Katchall to study the habits of these birds. 
“T always found them on the ground; when disturbed they fly 
some distance, almost always beyond range of shot, and then perch, 
usually high up, but sometimes low down, invariably on the thicker lower 
branches, along which I have often seen them walk. On Battye Malve 
I had the best opportunities of observing them. I had wandered some 
distance from the rest of our party and got into a part of the jungle where 
the birds had not been disturbed. Feeling very tired when forcing my 
way through the tangled underwood, I seated myself at the foot of a large 
tree ; after remaining here for some little time, several of these birds flew 
down from the adjacent trees and settled on the ground within ten yards 
