SPHENOCERCUS. 17 



Gates, S. F. iii, p. 163 ; Wold, in BlytKs Birds Burm. p. 144 ; 

 Hume $ Dav. S. F, vi, p. 415 ; Hume, Cat. no. 778 ; Scully, S. F. 

 viii, p. 339 ; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 304 ; Marshall, Ibis, 1884, p. 421 ; 

 Hume, S. F. xi, p. 292 ; Oates in Humes N. 8? E. 2nd ed. ii, 

 p. 377; Sharpe, Yarkand Miss., Aves, p. 114; Saluadori, Cat. B. M. 

 xxi, p. 8. 

 Sphenocercus minor, Brooks, S. F. iii, p. 255 (1875). 



Kokla, Kokila, H. ; Kuhu, Lepcha. 



Coloration. Male. Head, neck, and lower plumage yellowish 

 green, tinged with rufous on the crown, and with orange and a 

 wash of pink on the upper breast ; upper back greyish, passing 

 into maroon-red on middle of back and lesser wing-coverts ; rump, 

 upper tail-coverts, median and larger wing-coverts and exposed 

 portion of tertiaries olive-green ; primaries and secondaries blackish, 

 both they and the greater wing-coverts narrowly bordered outside 

 with yellow; upper surface of tail olive-green like rump, the outer 

 feathers more and more grey ; lower surface of wings and tail 

 dark grey ; lower flauks and thigh-coverts dark green with pale 

 yellow edges ; lower tail-coverts varying from pale cinnamon to 

 buff. 



The female lacks the orange on the crown and breast and the 

 maroon on the back arid wings, the latter parts being dark green 

 like the rump ; under tail-coverts dark green with broad buif 

 borders. 



In birds that have moulted in confinement, the green is replaced 

 by pearl-grey. A bird thus coloured was described by Blyth as 

 Treron cantillans. 



Bill dull smalt-blue, horny portion pale blue ; orbital skin pale 

 smalt ; hides with an inner ring of pale bright blue and an outer 

 ring of buffy pink (Davison). 



Length about 13 ; tail 5 ; wing 7 ; tarsus -85 ; bill from gape '9. 



Distribution. The Himalayas as far west as Murree at elevations 

 between 4000 and 7000 feet, west of Nepal only in summer; also 

 the Assam and Manipur hills and the hill-1'orests of Pegu and 

 Tenasserirn as far south as Mooleyit. 



Habits, $c. This is a somewhat less gregarious bird than most of 

 the Green Pigeons, and is generally seen in pairs or small parties. 

 It feeds on fruit, and has a peculiarly agreeable note, more pro- 

 longed and melodious than that of Crocopus, and it is often kept 

 caged by natives for the sake of its song, which though sweet 

 is monotonous. It breeds from April to July, and lays two white 

 eggs on the usual platform-nest in a tree. The eggs measure 

 about 1'18 by *89. After the breeding-season, the bird leaves the 

 Western Himalayas and apparently migrates eastward, for it 

 remains throughout the year in Nepal and farther east. 



VOL. IY. 



