NOTES ON ANDAMAN BIRDS. 489 



The nest was the usual platform of sticks in a moderate-sized tree in the forest. 

 The egg measures P29" X 1'34". 



1289. Myristicivora bkolor — The Pied Imperial Pigeon. 

 Rare in the Andamans though common in Narcondam. 



1290. Catenas nicobarica. — The Nicobar Pigeon. 

 This pigeon is not, I believe, so rare as is generally supposed in the Anda- 

 mans. It frequents thick forest and is not easy to see. I shot one on Havelock 

 Island on February 1st. 



1291. Chalcophaps indica. — The Bronze-winged Dove. 

 Common everywhere in suitable places. I found a nest in a low shrub in 

 thick forest on May 29. It contained a single fresh egg of a pale cafe-au-lait 

 colour. 



1309. Turtur cambayensis. — The Little Brown Dove. 

 This dove is reported as common in the Andamans, but I have not come 

 across it. 



1311. QSnopopelia tranqnebarica. — The Red Turtle Dove. 

 Exceedingly common in and around Port Blair, breeding in April and May. 

 This dove was rare in Hume's time (1873), but has multiplied apparently with 

 the increase in area under cultivation. 



1313. Macropygia rufipennis. — The Andaman Cuckoo-Dove. 

 Not common but found widely distributed in high forest. The call of this 

 dove is peculiar, somewhat resembling that of Cuculus canorus, the Common 

 Cuckoo. 



1375. Francolinus pondicerianus. — The Grey Partridge. 

 This partridge has been introduced into the settlement and has now become 

 naturalized in all the open country around, viz., Aberdeen, Protheroepur , 

 Garacharama and Bumtitan. 



1390, Hypotmnidia obscurior. — The Andamanese Banded Rail. 

 Very common in marshy meadows and veedy swamps. It does not readily 

 rise and has a slow heavy flight, I found a number of nests in tufts of grass 

 and rushes in swampy ground between June 15 and August 15. The nest is 

 merely a pad of dry grass usually well concealed in the rushes. Six eggs 

 appears to be the full complement. They are slightly glossy and in colour pale 

 dun, spotted and blotched, chiefly at the broad end, with reddish brown or 

 bright chestnut and with some underlying greyish markings. One egg in each 

 clutch is usually coloured differently to the rest, being much paler, with less 

 red and more grey in the markings. 



Length from 1-38'' to 1 -54". Breadth from 1"05" to 116". Average of 20 

 eggs, 1-4=6" x 1'09". 



1401. Amaurornis phccnicurus. — The White-breasted Water-hen. 



This bird is very common and exceedingly noisy. It frequents thick jungle 



far from water as well as brushwood near streams and swamps, In the 



evenings in spring it is particularly garrulous, emitting a most extraordinary 



variety of improbable sounds. It is locally known as the " Jangli murghi ". 



