TYPICAL PIGEONS. 



253 



in search of its favourite fruit ; the entire flock, accord- 

 ing to Gould, settling down simultaneously as soon as 

 it is discovered, so as to bend down the smaller twigs 

 and branches with the weight. Wild figs, the berries 

 of the cabbage palm, and probably larger fruits are 

 devoured by it. 



The nidification is thus described by Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell ("Nests and Eggs," p. 671) : " Nest. A 

 platform of fairly stout twigs placed in a tall tree. 

 Dimensions, Sin. to lOin. across, by about 3in. in 

 thickness. Eggs. Clutch, one ; elliptical in form, with 

 sometimes the ends peculiarly pointed, especially the 

 smaller, which nips off suddenly ; texture of shell some- 

 what granular ; surface glossy ; colour pearly white. 

 Dimensions in inches: (1) 1.76 x 1-21, (2) 1.65 x 1-14, 

 (3) 1.64x1-16." 



Mr. Campbell tells us that in the Richmond River 

 district Mr. S. W. Jackson "found two nests simi- 

 larly situated at a height of 115ft., in some tall fig 

 trees that stood in a clearing, and was enabled to 

 circumvent the fine birds by reaching their nests with 

 the aid of his ingeniously made rope ladder. As the 

 ladder only reached about half way it had to be drawn 

 up and shot the remaining distance a very difficult, 

 not to say dangerous, undertaking, which occupied 

 nearly the whole day to accomplish. An unfortunate 

 loss of time occurred on account of the second nest 

 not being discovered until terra firma was regained 

 after the first nest was robbed, which necessitated a 

 second day's work. There was one egg in each nest." 



Mr. Campbell says that the " Top-knot Pigeon " 

 utters a somewhat gutteral double call, resembling 

 " Quook-quook." 



According to Dr. Russ, this remarkable Fruit- 

 Pigeon has only been owned hitherto by our London 

 Zoological Gardens, which received the first example 

 in 1864, but has subsequently obtained others. Con- 

 sidering that it is sometimes .seen in flocks numbering 

 thousands of individuals, it is strange that so very few 

 are imported. Though somewhat sombrely coloured, 

 its crest renders it an interesting species, which doubt- 

 less many aviculturists would like to possess and try 

 to breed. 



This species brings us to the end of the imported 

 Fruit-Pigeons, and we now pass on to the more familiar 

 Typical Pigeons. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



TYPICAL PIGEONS (Columbida). 



In this family only the hind toe has the skin much 

 expanded at the sides. The tail has twelve feathers. 

 Three sub-families are recognised Columbines, Macro- 

 pygiince, and Ectopistince ; these are characterised by 

 the length and form of the tail. 



In their wild state these birds feed upon grain, 

 beech-nuts, acorns, berries, small wild fruits, young 

 green shoots, smooth caterpillars, various grubs, and 

 earthworms. In captivity maize, wheat, dari, millet, 

 tares, a little hemp, and small white peas, with a little 

 chopped green food and a few small earthworms or 

 smooth larvas of various insects, suit them well. 



WHITE-BACKED PIGEON (Columba leuconota). 

 Upper back, scapulars, and lesser upper wing-coverts 

 brownish-grey ; lower back white ; rump and upper tail- 

 coverts dark brown ; median and greater wing-coverts 



grey ; flights grey, with the tips and outer webs- 

 brownish ; a brown band across the median coverts, a 

 second across the greater coverts, and a third across 

 the inner secondaries ; tail blackish-brown ; near middle 

 of two central feathers and towards tips of lateral 

 feathers a broad whitish band ; the outer feather white 

 at base of outer web ; head dark slate-grey ; neck and 

 under surface white, pearly ash-coloured on the flanks, 

 lower abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts ; under 

 surface of wings also pale grey ; axillaries white ; bill 

 horn-black ; feet bright pale red ; irides yellow. 

 Female slightly smaller, the grey colouring of the 

 back and wings somewhat duller, the back browner,, 

 the nape less white ; abdomen smoky instead of pearly 

 ash-coloured. Hab., Yarkand and Cashmere, through 

 the Himalayas to Thibet. 



Jerdon says of this Pigeon (" Birds of India," 

 Vol. III., p. '472) that it "is stated to frequent rocky 

 heights and sequestered valleys, from 10,000ft. to the 

 snow level, in large parties. " It feeds in the fields, 

 returning to the rocks to roost, and is said to be shy 

 and wary." 



Lieut. W. W. Cordeaux says (The Ibis, 1894, p. 373) : 

 " Common from 11,000ft. and upwards in Kaschmir 

 and Ladakh. I found it breeding among the inacces- 

 sible crags of the Ai nullah in August." 



Mr. J. Davidson (The Ibis, 1898, p. 38) observes _ 

 " This beautiful Pigeon was very ooornmon in the 

 beginning of May on the Sonamurg plaiteau, and 

 occasionally among the cultivation along the Sind 

 River as far down as Kulan. It was then in small 

 flocks. During June we saw it occasionally at 

 Sonamurg, singly or in very small flocks. It seemed 

 generally to fly to and from a ridge of rocks not far 

 from the nullah joining the Sind River, close to the 

 village of Sonamurg. We intended to visit these 

 rocks, but never were able to find time." 



Speaking of the Cage-Birds of Calcutta (The Ibis, 

 1901, p. 443), Mr. Frank Finn says : " The Alpine 

 Columba leuconota, which Mr. Rutledge sometimes 

 obtains, bears the heat perfectly well, and even shows- 

 a desire to breed. As its note has apparently not beem 

 recorded, I may mention that it is not a coo, but a 

 repeated croak, not unlike a hiccough, and, much as- 

 the bird resembles the domestic pigeon, I have never 

 seen it sweep the ground with its tail when courting,, 

 but rather raise it." 



Writing on the Birds of Southern Tibet (The Ibis. 

 1906, pp. 245, 246), Capt. H. J. Walton says : " Snow- 

 Pigeons were in large flocks in the Chumbi Valley in 

 January. The bird does not appear to occur in the- 

 country north of the Himalayan Passes." 



In 1876 Baron von Comely bred this species in the- 

 park of Castle Beaujardin at Tours. In the same year 

 three examples were purchased by the London Zoo- 

 logical Society, a fourth was added in the following 

 year, and many others have been received since that 

 date. 



INDIAN STOCK-DOVE (Columba eversmanni). 



Dark ash-grey, much whiter, sometimes quite white,, 

 on the rump ; two or three black spots, forming rudi- 

 mentary bands, on the wings ; tail black at the tip ; 

 the outermost feather with the basal two-thirds of the- 

 outer web white, a black followed by a narrow grey 

 band towards the tip ; crown and breast tinted with- 

 vinaceous; back of neck with metallic cupreous reflec- 

 tions ; wings below whitish-grey ; bill pale yellowish- 

 green ; base of lower mandible and gape slaty ; feet 

 yellowish-flesh-coloured ; irides deep yellow. Female 

 probably smaller. Hab., " W. Siberia, through. 



