BRONZE-WINGED OR EMERALD DOVE 123 
down the west coast of India from the south of Bombay, through Malabar, 
Travancore, and thence into Ceylon. On the east coast it is found south 
nearly to the latitude of the mouths of the Kistna or Krishna River, as I have 
seen the skin of a bird shot inland from Masulipatam, but it is undoubtedly 
rare south of latitude 18. It is found in Orissa and throughout the whole of 
Bengal in the forested parts, Kashmir, Nepal, Bhutan, Assam, and the hill- 
ranges north and south of the Brahmapootra River up to at least 6,000 ft. 
It is very common in Manipur, Looshai Hills and throughout Burma, the 
Malay Peninsula and Archipelago into New Guinea, and again through southern 
China into the Phillipines. In Burma it appears to be absent from the dry 
central zone. 
Nidification, It is resident throughout the whole of its range, and 
breeds wherever found. I have had its eggs sent to me from Nepal taken at 
an elevation of over 4,000 ft., and have personally taken them at elevations 
higher than this both in the Khasia and North Cachar Hills. As a rule, 
however, it breeds below 3,000 ft., and is common from this elevation down 
to the plains. 
The nest is the usual Dove’s nest of small twigs and sticks, but is better 
put together than most, and the depression in the centre is often well formed 
and nearly an inch in depth at the deepest point. The twigs of which itis 
composed are both those which are picked up dry and such small living twigs 
as it is able to tear from the tree, and on a few occasions I have seen twigs 
used with a leaf or two still attached to them. Most nests will be found 
placed on high bushes or small saplings some five to ten feet from the ground 
but a few may be taken from bamboo-clumps and, in the Nicobars, Davison 
found them sometimes placed on the fronds of young coconut palms about 
six feet from the ground. 
I think the Bronze-winged Dove is more particular in seeing that its 
nest is concealed than are the Green Pigeons and other Doves which make 
their nests in similar places, and frequently I have taken nests so well hidden 
in thick bushes, brambles, and cane-brakes that it was with no little difficulty 
they were discovered. 
Incubation is carried on impartially by both sexes and takes about twelve 
days. The young are fed as usual by the parent-birds regurgitating food in a 
nearly digested state. 
The eggs, always two in number, are not white but a pale cream, café-au- 
lait, or fawn colour, sometimes so pale that the egg appears white unless 
placed alongside a really white egg, at other times quite a distinct buff or 
fawn of the shade of dark wet sand. 
In shape they are long elliptical, a few more or less drawn out and pointed 
at one end, and a few others very broad ellipses. 
In length the eggs vary from .95 in. (24.1 mm.) to 1.12 in. ( = 28.4 mm.) 
and in breadth from .78 in. ( = 19.8 mm.) to .86 ( = 21.8mm.), and the average 
of 100 eggs is 1.08 in. ( = 26.1 mm.) by .82 in. ( = 21.0 mm.). 
The breeding-season varies according to locality; in southern India 
and Ceylon January and February appear to be the two principal breeding- 
months and the same in the Andamans and Nicobars. In Burma and the 
north-eastern countries of India, March to May are the three months in which 
most eggs may be taken, but in southern Burma and the adjacent districts, 
January and February again seem to be the favourite months. In all parts 
of its range, however, the Emerald Dove breeds more or less over a great 
portion of the year, and the majority of birds undoubtedly have two broods 
and many probably have three. 
