COLUMBA 641 



it does not differ from C. lima. It breeds in Northern India 

 from December to May, later in the South, and nests in holes 

 in cliffs, walls, temples, tombs, or wells, depositing 2 white 

 eggs, like those of C. livia, which measure about T45 by T12. 



885. HILL ROCK-DOVE. 

 COLUMBA RUPESTRIS. 



Columba rupestris, Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. ii. p. 48 (1857) ; Pall. Zoogr. 

 Ross. As. i. p. 560, Tab. 35 ; Gould, B. of A. vi. pi. 54 ; David and 

 Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 385 ; Salvador!, Cat. B. Br. Mas. xxi. p. 250 ; 

 Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 30 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 729. 



< ad. (Central Asia). Differs from C. livia in having a broad, white 

 band across the middle of the tail, in being slightly paler both above and 

 below, and the breast tinged with lilac ; bill black ; feet lobster-red ; iris 

 golden red. Culmen 0*64, wing 9'0, tail 5*1, tarsus T05 inch. 



Hob. Central Asia, the Himalaya, Tibet, South-eastern 

 Siberia, Corea, Northern and Eastern China. 



Inhabits the rocky portions of the mountains in the interior 

 of the country, but in general habits does not differ from C. livia. 

 It usually nests in the cliffs, but when no suitable place is near 

 it nests in buildings, and in March deposits 2 white eggs, 

 which measure about T42 by T02. 



886. WHITE-BACKED DOVE. 

 COLUMBA LEUCONOTA. 



Columla leuconota, Vig. P.Z.S. 1831, p. 23 ; Gould, Cent. Himal. B. 

 pi. 59 ; Salvador!, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxi. p. 249 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. 

 Birds, iv. p. 32. 



$ ad. (India). Head dark slate-grey or plumbeous ; neck, lower back, and 

 under parts white ; upper back, scapulars, inner secondaries ashy brown ; 

 rest of wings above dove-blue, the wings crossed by three blackish brown 

 bars ; rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail blackish, the last crossed by a 

 broad, white band which is in the middle of the central, but close to the 

 end of the outermost feathers ; lower abdomen tinged with dove-blue, the 

 under tail-coverts pale dove-blue ; bill and claws horny black ; feet bright 

 light red; iris yellow. Culraen 1-0, wing 9'6, tail 5'3, tarsus 1'2 inch. 

 Female similar but somewhat duller in colour. 



Hal. Himalayas from Gilgit to Bhutan ; Tibet ; Kan-su. 



Is an inhabitant of the higher mountain ranges at from 

 10,000 to 14,000 feet altitude, where it inhabits the most 



