Mr. E. Blyth on the ColumbinEe. 507 



or transitions occur from one to another, which might not be 

 readily accounted for by intermixture, wliere such cognate races 

 meet. The numerous permanent races (considered by the Prince 

 of Canino and others as species) affined to Turtur risorius or to 

 T. aw'itus, afford ample exemplification ; and we are unaware 

 that any of these have been known to interbreed one with an- 

 other. Moreover, so far as has been observed, it would seem 

 that the voice or coo differs appreciably in each race, just as the 

 notes of other proximate but distinct species of birds do in general, 

 to a notable extent — as familiarly exemplified by those of the 

 British Fhi/lloscopus frochilus and Ph. rufus, and of many others 

 that might be cited. 



In Europe, three kinds of wild Pigeon are familiarly known, 

 in addition to the wild Turtle Dove [Columha turtur, L.). They 

 are the common 'Ring-dove,' Cushat, or Rainier {C, palum- 

 buSjJj.), the ^Stock-dove' or Colambin {C. anas, h.), and the 

 'Rock-dove,' 'Rockier,' or Biset [C. livia, Latham): the first 

 two of which are foresters, habitually perching and roosting 

 upon trees ; and the third is chiefly an inhabitant of sea-cliffs, 

 and never alights on a tree. The first builds a platform-nest, 

 which is supported by the lighter branches of trees ; the second 

 builds in the holes of trees (old pollard ' stocks' especially), and 

 not unfrequently in rabbit-burrows ; and the third resorts to 

 the cavities and deep recesses of precipitous rocks, and especially 

 the caverns of sea-cliffs, where it nidificates in large societies. 

 Each is the type of a generic or subgeneric group (i. e. a named 

 division), according to the Prince of Canino; and each has its 

 immediate representative or counterpart in India. 



1. Palumbus. The 'Cushats.' In the W. Himalaya a bird 

 of this group is common, which differs so little from the Euro- 

 pean race, that tlie two would probably blend, were they to 

 inhabit together. The only distinctions consist in the neck- 

 patch, which is large and almost pure white in the European 

 Cushat, being much contracted and of a buff-colour in that 

 of Asia; while the primaries also of the latter are more nar- 

 rowly margined externally with white. Upon these slight di- 

 stinctions, the Prince of Canino designates the oriental race 

 P. casiotis, and notes it from Chinese Tartary. He also remarks 

 that the Cushats of Algeria have the white neck-patch more ex- 

 tended than in the European race; and distinguishes another 

 and better characterized race, from N.W. Africa, by the name 

 P. excelsus. 



The only other true Cushats known are from this country, 

 viz. P. jmlchricollis (Hodgson), from the E. Himalaya, and P. 

 Elphinstonei (Sykes), from the Nilgiris and Malabar Ghats,— 



33* 



