38 COLUMMD.I:. 



a remarkable character. Each contained a single egg, one measuring 

 1-55 by 1-15, the other 1-5 by 1-17. 



1302. Alsocomus pnniceus. The Purple Wood- Pigeon. 

 Alsocomus puniceus, Tickell, Blyth, J.A. S. B. xi, p. 461 (1842) ; 



~ ' 



S. F. xi, p. 296. 



Coluroba pnnicea, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiv, pp. 867, 878 ; Salvador*, 

 Cat. B. M. xxi,p. :jOfi. 



Fig. 7. Head of A. puniceus. }. 



Coloration. Male. Lores, forehead, crown, and nape greyish 

 white ; neck, cheeks, and throat dull chestnut ; upper and lower 

 back, wing-coverts, tertiaries, and scapulars rich chestnut ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts dark slaty grey ; quills and tail-feathers 

 blackish brown, some of the quills grey on the outer webs ; lower 

 parts, including under wing-coverts, vinous chestnut ; under tail- 

 coverts dark slaty grey ; the whole plumage with a changeable 

 metallic gloss, green and amethyst, which is peculiarly strong on 

 the hind neck and upper back, and on the edges of the back and 

 rump-feathers and of the upper wing-coverts. 



Female rather smaller and duller in plumage, the head above 

 browner grey with a lilac gloss. 



Horny portion of bill bluish white ; rest of bill and gape lake- 

 pink; irides orange; eyelids bright red; orbital skin purplish 

 pink ; legs and feet pale purplish or lake-pink (Davison). Claws 

 pale yellow (Jerdori). 



Length about 16 ; tail 6'5 ; wing 9 ; tarsus '9 ; bill from gape 

 1-05. Tenasserim birds are slightly smaller, wing 8-5. 



Distribution. Sparingly distributed throughout Burma and the 

 adjoining countries from Assam and Cachar to Cochin China and 

 the Malay Peninsula, but not in the Himalayas, though this Pigeon 



