34 COLUMBIDjE. 



Habits, cfv. A shy bird, usually seen in small flocks amongst the 

 pine-forests and feeding on berries. The nidification is unknown. 

 According to Irby, some nest on inaccessible cliffs in Kumaun. 



Genus PALUMBUS, Kaup, 1829. 



The Wood-Pigeons differ from the Rock-Pigeons in shape, 

 having longer necks and tails, the latter two-thirds the length of 

 the wing or more, and projecting some distance beyond the ends 

 of the closed wimgs, whilst the tafsus is partly feathered and 

 proportionally shorter than in Columba. The wing is more 

 rounded than in Columba, the 1st quill scarcely exceeding or not 

 exceeding the 4th. There are no dark bars on the wings, but 

 there is a pale band on the outer tail-feathers. 



Typical Ring-Doves or Wood-Pigeons are more or less migratory 

 birds that keep in flocks and feed on grain, acorns, buds, &c. 

 They always lav two eggs and make their nests on high trees. 

 One species is Indian. 



1298. Palumbus casiotis. The Eastern Wood-Pigeon, 

 Hiny-Dove, or Cusliat. 



Palumbus torquatus, v&T.,Blyth, Cat. p. 233 ; Adams, P. Z. S. 1858, 

 p. 497. 



Palumbus easiotis,- Bonap. Consp. AT. \\, p. 42 ; Jerdon, B. I. iii, 

 p. 464; Stolicska, J. A. S. 13. xxxvii, pt. 2, p. 66 Cock $ Marsh, 

 ti. F. i, p. 358 ; Hume, N. 8f E. p. 497 ; id. Cat. no. 784; Butler, 

 S. F. viii, pp. 386, 500 ; ix, p. 298 ; Wardl. Rams. Ibis, 1879, 

 p. 448 ; Marshall, Ibis, 1884, p. 421 ; Barnes, S. F. ix, pp. 218, 

 457 ; Swinhue, ibid. p. 237 ; Gates in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. ii, 

 p. 346. 



Columba casiotis, Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 91 ; Scully, ibid. p. 583 ; 

 Swinhoe, Ibis, 1882, p. 117 ; St. John, Ibis, 1889, p. 173; Salmdori, 

 Cat. B. M. xxi, p. 302. 

 The Himalayan Cushat, Jerdon ; Dhanud, H. (Charaba). 



Coloration. Head and neck dark ashy grey ; sides and back of 

 lower neck glossed with metallic green, changing to purplish red, 

 especially at the sides towards the shoulders ; a large buff spot on 

 each side of the neck near the body ; back, scapulars, quills, and 

 the wing-coverts near the back brownish grey; primaries with 

 narrow white outer borders ; vvinglet and primary-coverts blackish ; 

 a broad longitudinal white band from the angle of the wing over 

 the outer secondary coverts ; lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts, 

 and base of tail above dark ashy grey ; the tail beyond the upper 

 coverts blackish ; beneath the tail is nearly black, with a broad 

 whitish-grey band across the middle ; breast pale lilac or vinous 

 grey, passing into ashy grey on the abdomen and lower tail- 

 coverts ; wing-lining ashy. 



Bill orange at the tip, whitish at the base ; feet red (Jerdon). 

 Irides yellowish white (Biddulph). 



