THE DECCAN AND SOUTH MAHRATTA COUNTRY. 419 



767.— Alauda gulgula, Frankl. The Indian Sky- 

 Lark. 



Permanent resident. Common, as a rule, in the plains 

 portion of the region and in the southern parts of Ratnagiri. 

 I noticed it as particularly plentiful on all the grass lands 

 about Belgaum. It also occurs on the hills on open grass land, 

 but avoids the forest tracts. 



769. — Galerita cristata, Lin. The Crested Lark. 



This species is entered in Messrs. Wenden and Davidson's 

 paper as " observed to be common on the top of the Satara 

 Ghats," but I have no other record of its occurrence through- 

 out the region, except Jerdon's statement, and possibly 

 Spizalauda malabarica, which is not included in their list, was 

 mistaken for it. I wrote to Mr. Davidson on the subject, and 

 he replied that he could not be sure of the species, but he may 

 be right, as Jerdon mentions, it also as common in the Deccan, 

 though he does not say in what districts. 



773.-— Crocopus chlorigaster, Blyth. The Southern 

 Green Pigeon. 



Permanent resident. Not uncommon along the Sahyadri 

 range and in the neighbouring forests, extending to Ratnagiri, 

 and occurs also in the plains, as a rule, throughout the region 

 wherever there are tall banian trees, upon the fruit of which 

 it feeds. 



775.— Osmotreron malabarica, Jerd. The Grey- 

 fronted Green Pigeon. 



Occurs sparingly all along the Sahyadri range as far north 

 as Khandala, extending also to the well -wooded tracts of 

 Ratnagiri. Mr. Laird got it in the forests west of Belgaum. 



786. — Palumbus elphinstonii, Sykes. The Nilgiri 

 Wood-Pigeon. 



Not common. Mr. Vidal records it from the Chiplun sub- 

 division in Ratnagiri, and Mr. Fairbank from Mahableshwar, 

 where it is well known, It occurs, therefore, probably all along 

 the Sahyadri range and in the adjoining forests. Jerdon re- 

 marks, "found on the higher elevations of the Western Ghats." 



788.— Columba intermedia, Strickl. The Common 

 Indian Blue-Rock Pigeon. 



Permanent resident. Common throughout the region wher- 

 ever there is cultivation, avoidiug dense forests. 



