374 Capt. Beavan on various Indian Birds. 



by the banks of the river Cossye at Ambekanuggur. The 

 species appears to feed almost entirely on the fruit of the 

 Strychnus nux-vomica, and, as mentioned by Dr. Jerdon, on the 

 "jamoon" {Eugenia jamb olana). It is excessively wary, and 

 can seldom be procured, except by a flying shot as the birds 

 dart out of the thick foliage on hearing a step below them on 

 the ground. Dr. Jerdon's dimensions are apparently too large; 

 of two specimens measured by me in the flesh one was only 

 14*5 in length, and the other but 14. The bill is purple at the 

 base, with a greenish horny tip, approaching to white in some. 

 Claws white. Legs and feet a light pink or darkish flesh- 

 colour, 



787. Palumb(ena eversmanni. Indian Stock-Pigeon. 



Although I have never obtained this rare Pigeon myself, I 

 believe it was first discriminated at Umballah by my late valued 

 friend Dr. Scott, who had previously resided for some time at 

 Hansi, and told me he had seen them at the latter station in 

 the first instance, and then informed either Dr. Jerdon or Mr. 

 Blyth of their nearly annual occurrence also at Umballah. 

 Indeed, although during my stay there in 1866 none were to 

 be seen, some I believe had been killed there the year before, 

 and Dr. Scott promised to look out again anxiously for their 

 arrival, and let me know. But, unfortunately, he succumbed to 

 the climate, as has been already recorded in these pages {supra 

 p. 134), before he had time to verify these points. The native 

 name is "Cummer-kooller," not "kalla^^ as Dr. Jerdon has it. 



792. TuRTUR RUPicoLus. Ashy Turtle-Dove. 



The specific name given to this bird by Pallas is decidedly a 

 misnomer; for about Simla, where I found it in tolerable abun- 

 dance in 1866, it frequents trees only, so far as my experience 

 goes, and I never saw one perch on a rock. Dr. Jerdon 

 imagines that it is only a winter visitant to the hills; but I 

 found it there in May and June, and it evidently breeds there. 

 At that time of the year it is of course always in pairs, whereas 

 the next species, to my knowledge, is generally in small parties 

 or flocks. A very fine specimen in the flesh, killed at Simla on 

 10th May, 1866, measured :— Length 13, wing 7-375, tail 5'25, 



