44 COLUMBID J. 



Bill dull leaden-black ; i rides dark hazel, surrounded by a reddish 

 sclerotic ; legs dark purplish red (Jerdon) : orbital skin red (Leyc/e). 



Length about 12 ; tail 5-5 ; wing 5'5 : tarsus '85 ; bill from 

 gape -85. Females are a little less, and Ceylon birds are slightly 

 smaller than North Indian. 



Distribution. Throughout the whole of India and Ceylon ; most 

 common in well-wooded countries, rare in drier regions, and wanting 

 in desert tracts. This Dove is found throughout the Himalayas 

 up to 7UGO feet and in Gilgit and Ladtik (the statement in the 

 British Museum Catalogue that it inhabits Yarkand is a mistake). 

 To the eastward it is found in Assam. Cachar, and Manipur, but 

 is replaced in Burma by T. tigrinus. 



Habits, tyc. A common familiar bird, coming frequently into 

 gardens about houses and having a plaintive, trisyllabic call. It 

 breeds almost throughout the year, having two or more broods ; 

 but in Northern India the principal season for laying eggs is from 

 October to May. The nest is the usual slight structure placed 

 on a bush or low tree, and the two white glossy eggs measure 

 about 1-06 by '82. 



1308. Turtur tigrinus. The Malay Spotted Dove. 



Columba tigrina, Temm. Pigeons, i, pi. 43 (1808-11). 

 Turtur suratensis, apud Blylh, Cat. p. 230, part. 

 Turtur tigrinus, Myth, J. A. S. B. xxiv, p. 480 ; id. Ibis, 1867, 

 p. I/JO; Bali, S. F. i, p. 80; Hume, A'. # E. p. 50(5; id. S. F. ii, 

 p. 269; Blyth $ Wald. Bird* Burm. p. 145; Hume, S. F. iii, 

 p. ] 64 ; Armstrong, 8. F. iv, p. 337 ; Hume fy Dar. S. F. vi, p. 422 ; 

 Anderson, Yunnan Exped., Aves, p. 665 ; Hume, Cat. no. 795 bis ; 

 Hume fy Intjlis, S. F. ix, p. 258; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 290; id. in 

 Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 356; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxi, 

 p. 440. 



Gyo, Burmese. 



Coloration similar to that of T. suratensis, except that there are 

 no distinct rufous spots on the back, whilst those on the wing- 

 coverts are much smaller and less distinct, and the shaft-stripes are 

 not so well marked, the white tips to the tail-feathers also are much 

 shorter. The difference is not great, and T. suratensis in worn 

 plumage closely resembles T. tigrinus when freshy moulted ; in fact 

 these are merely local races. 



Bill bluish black ; eyelids and skin of face plumbeous ; irides 

 reddish ; legs deep red; claws dark horn (Oates). 



Length about 12 ; tail 5-5 ; wing 5'5 ; tarsus '9 ; bill from 

 gape -9. 



Distribution. Throughout Burma, extending east to Cochin China 

 and south through the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago as far as 

 Celebes. Birds from Upper Burma are sometimes intermediate 

 between this race and T. suratensis. 



Habits, 6fc. Similar to those of T. suratensis. The breeding- 

 season extends throughout the year, but is especially from August 

 to March. 



