298 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



Genus GEOPELIA, Swains. 



658. GEOPELIA STRIATA. 

 THE BARRED GROUND-DOVE. 



Columba striata, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 282. Geopelia striata, Salvad. Ucc. 

 Born. p. 298 ; Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi. p. 423 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 110 ; Kelham, 

 Ibis, 1881, p. 528. 



Description. Male and female. Forehead and crown as far as the eyes, 

 cheeks, chin and throat pure grey ; upper part of the ear-coverts grey, 

 lower part brown ; remainder of the crown and nape vinous brown ; sides 

 of the neck, whole hind neck and upper back, sides of the breast and of the 

 body white, closely and finely barred with black ; centre of the breast and 

 abdomen vinaceoris ; vent and under tail-coverts white ; lower back, rump, 

 upper tail-coverts, scapulars, wing-coverts and tertiaries brown, each feather 

 with a terminal black bar ; primaries and secondaries dark brown, the latter 

 broadly edged with the colour of the back ; central tail-feathers pale brown, 

 the others dark brown, the four outer pairs broadly tipped with white ; 

 under wing-coverts chestnut. 



What appear to be immature birds have the centre of the breast and the 

 whole under wing-coverts barred with black. 



Front of tarsus and toes pinkish purple with the scutation divided by 

 pink lines ; back of tarsus and soles fleshy pink ; claws dirty greenish 

 blue; base of bill pale clear blue, rest of bill bluish white, darkening 

 towards the tip ; irides generally white, occasionally grey-brown or pale 

 slaty blue ; orbital skin pale clear blue tinged with green. (Davison.) 



Length 9 inches, tail 4*3, wing 4, tarsus *8, bill from gape *7. The 

 female is of about the same size. 



Mr. Davison met with this Dove in the extreme south of Tenasserim, on 

 the Pakchan Creek. 



It extends down the Malay peninsula, and is found in Sumatra, Java, 

 Borneo, the Philippines, Celebes and Lombock. It appears to have been 

 introduced into Madagascar and the Seychelles Islands. 



Mr. Davison remarks : " The general habits of this little Dove are the 

 same as those of Turtur tigrinus, except that it never occurs in flocks, being 

 always found singly or in pairs. It keeps about cultivation, and feeds on 

 the ground, walking about here and there and picking up seeds. It is not 

 at all shy, but very rare in Tenasserim, even where it does occur. Its note 

 is quite unlike that of any of the other Doves that I am acquainted with, 

 and sounds like kok-a-kurr-kurr softly repeated several times." 



