THE PURPLE WOOD-PIGEON. 289 



and paler on the back and wings ; two bars of black across the wings, 

 one over the greater coverts and one over the secondaries. Tail ashy 

 grey, with a broad black band near the tips ; the basal half of the outer web 

 of the outermost feathers almost pure white. 



Bill blackish, with a white mealiness at the base above ; irides dull 

 orange; legs dull reddish pink. (Jerdon.) 



Length 13 inches, tail 5*5, wing 9, tarsus T2, bill from gape 1*1. The 

 female is of about the same size. 



The Indian Blue Rock-Pigeon differs from its European ally, C. livia, 

 in having the rump of the same colour as the back, instead of white. 



Mr. Blyth introduces this species into his list of Burmese birds, and 

 remarks with respect to the Province in general, " common, as throughout 

 India. " It may, of course, and probably does, occur in Arrakan ; but 

 certainly in Pegu, so far from being common, it seems to be altogether 

 absent, for I have never even seen a specimen. The same may be said of 

 Tenasserim and Karennee, where neither Mr. Davison nor Capt. Wardlaw 

 Ramsay observed it. 



It occurs over the whole peninsula of India and Ceylon, extending west- 

 wards to Afghanistan and eastwards to China. Dr. Tiraud records it 

 from Cochin China; but I judge from his remarks that he considers the 

 birds he saw merely domestic Pigeons turned wild. 



This Pigeon frequents cliffs, caverns, old walls, ruined buildings and 

 pagodas, and feeds on the ground in large flocks on grain and seeds. In 

 India it breeds from December to April, and sometimes later, laying two 

 white eggs. 



Subfamily PALUMBIN^E. 

 Genus ALSOCOMUS, Tick. 



650. ALSOCOMUS PUNICEUS. 

 THE PURPLE WOOD-PIGEON. 



Alsocomus puniceus, Tick., Bl. J. A. S. B. xi. p. 462 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 402 ; 

 BL 11. Jtttnn. p. 145 ; Wardlaw Ramsay, Ibis, 1877, p. 147 j Hume $ Dav. S. F. 

 vi. p. 418; Legye, Birds Ceylon, p. (J'J8 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 109; Oates, S. F. 

 viii. p. 167 ; Situ/ham, S. F. viii. p. 19G ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 235. 



Description. Male. Forehead, crown, nape and lores greyish white ; 

 primaries and secondaries blackish, more or less edged with ashy ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts dark ashy; tail black; under tail -coverts dark ashy 



VOL. ii. u 



