PTEROCLES. 519 



secondaries glossed with deep blue ; other portion of secondaries and their 

 coverts, most of the median coverts, rump and shorter upper tail coverts 

 brilliant green ; scapulars adjoining the wing coverts the same, but with a 

 coppery glow ; upper breast like the .head ; lower breast, abdomen, sides, 

 flanks, vent and shorter under tail coverts variegated deep metallic green 

 and dark slaty, the latter forming a fringe to the feathers ; first two primaries 

 unglossed ; inner webs of the primaries and secondaries and their under 

 surface blackish brown ; wing lining and axillaries brighter or duller metallic 

 green or deep blackish slaty with a tinge of gloss ; lower breast deep metallic 

 green, the feathers tipped purplish ; tibial plumes rich purplish blue. The 

 young want the metallic gloss and protuberance at base of bill, and is duller 

 everywhere ; bill dark blackish grey ; irides deep brown ; legs dull purplish 

 lilac. 



Length. 16 inches; tail 3-5 ; wing iO; tarsus 17; bill from gape i'5. 



Hab. This, the most lovely species of the Pigeon group, inhabits the 

 Mergui Archipelago and the Nicobars, and extends to the Malay Peninsula. 

 Feeds on fruit ; nests on trees only as far as has yet been ascertained on the 

 Island of Battye Halve in the Nicobars. The nests are like those of other 

 pigeons. Egg, one only, spotless white ; 1-84 x 1-27. 



Order, Rasores, GALLINACEOUS OR GAME BIRDS. 



Bill usually short, vaulted, more or less arched and bent down at the tip ; 

 nostrils situated in a membrane at the base of the bill ; wings usually short ; 

 tail variable in length and form ; tarsi long and strong, often spurred ; hinder 

 toe short and elevated from the ground. 



Family, PTEROCLID^:, SAND OR ROCK-GROUSE. 



Bill short, curved to the tip and compressed at the sides ; wings and tail 

 long and pointed ; tarsi feathered ; hind toe small. 



Gen. PterOCleS. Tern. 



Bill small, rather stout ; culmen curved, sides compressed ; nostrils at base 

 partly covered by membrane; wings long, 1st and 2nd primaries longest? 

 tail with the median rectrices sometimes lengthened beyond the rest; tarsi 

 short, feathered in front and on the inner side. 



Mr. D. G. Elliott has a very clear and exhaustive paper on the Pteroclida 

 Family in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1878, pp. 233, 

 264, giving the literature of the Family, its classification and a review of the 

 geographical distribution, as well as a key and descriptions, with the synonomy 

 of each species. The following key is extracted from the paper referred to, 

 and will be found most useful. 



