376 <COLUMB1DJE. 



grass-stalks. The nests were 5 or 6 inches in diameter ; the de- 

 pression hardly more than | inch in depth. The eggs, two in 

 number, were both a good deal incubated. They are pure white, 

 and measured about 1-12 by 0-87. On one nest I shot the female, 

 on another the male with its beautiful maroon mantle." 



One egg sent me by Mr. Darling measured 1*08 by 0*84. 



Mr. F. W. Bourdillon kindly favoured me with an egg of the 

 Malabar Green Pigeon, which he procured in the Assamboo Hills 

 on the 24th February. The egg was a little set, and was placed 

 on a very slight nest of twigs some six inches in diameter. The 

 nest was built upon a bough, at a height of some 40 feet from 

 the ground. 



For the size of this bird the egg seems small ; it only measures 

 1-02 by O87 ; it is therefore a very broad oval, but it is very 

 slightly pointed towards one end. The shell is fine and compact, 

 but thickly studded with minute pores, and has but little gloss. 

 It is of course pure white. 



Another egg subsequently sent to me measured I'll by O85. 



Osmotreron phayrii, Blyth. Phayre's Green Pigeon. 



Osmotreron phayrii, BL, Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 451 ; Hume, Cat. 

 no. 776. 



Mr. J. Darling, junior, writes : " March 19th. Took a nest 

 of Osmotreron phayrii, with one fledged young one, and one bad 

 egg. It was built in a tree 18 feet from ground, on a small hill 

 covered with bamboo jungle. It was the ordinary disreputable 

 platform of twigs, of about 6 inches in diameter, and the central 

 depression had to be well looked at before it could be discerned. 

 This nest was found on a small range of hills about 3 miles east 

 of Tavoy, at an elevation of some 600 feet." 



The eggs seem as a body * to be rather elongated ovals, though 

 here and there a fairly broad one occurs, and are often a good deal 

 pointed at the small end. They are of course pure white and 

 have a fine gloss, in some specimens almost equal to that of Merops 

 and Coracias. 



Osmotreron chloroptera (Blyth). The Andaman Green 

 Pigeon. 



Osmotreron chloroptera (JBl.), Hume, Rough Draft N. 8f JE. no. 777 

 bis. 



The Andaman Green Pigeon probably breeds in May and June. 

 Early in May Davison saw one carrying a twig to the top of a 

 slender tree standing on the outskirts of the forest near Port 

 Blair, where it was apparently building its nest. 



* Mr. Hume appears to have received several eggs of this species from his 

 correspondents, but I cannot find any notes regarding the discovery of these 

 eggs. ED. 



