A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF GILGIT. 137 
palest and darkest specimens; and after careful comparison 
of my series, I have no hesitation in saying that the dark 
typical C. intermedia does not occur in the district, But, on 
the other hand, our birds are not typical C. livia; they vary 
greatly in tint, but are always a little darker than European 
C. livia; the colour of the rump ranges from pale grey to 
white. Specimens showing every gradation of colour between 
C. livia and C. intermedia have been recorded, and several 
names have been proposed for these intermediate forms; but 
as it is admitted that there is no constancy in the colouration 
of these races, it seems best to retain only two names for the 
extreme forms. I class the Gilgit Pigeon as C. livia, seeing 
that it is nearer to that form than to ©. intermedia. 
187.—Columba rupestris, Pall. (789.) 
This Pigeon is not uncommon in the lower valleys in 
winter, but in summer is only found at high elevations. I 
have skot it at an elevation of 5,000 feet as late as the 9th 
April. Neither in my Gilgit examples, nor in a large series 
from Thibet, China, &c., can I detect any white shoulder-patch, 
such as is mentioned by Major Biddulph (ante, p. 92). 
Gilgit specimens agree perfectly with the type of C. leucozo- 
nura, Swinhoe, in Mr. Seebohm’s collection. 
188.—Columba leuconota, Vig. (790.) 
I obtained a specimen in the middle of October at an 
elevation of about 8,000 feet. 
189.—Turtur ferrago, Hversm. (792.) 
This Dove is common in the district in summer, and breeds 
there ; it arrives in the third week in April. 
In The Ibis, 1880, p. 68, Captain Wardlaw-Ramsay has 
discussed the question of the distinctness of the present form 
from 7. orientalis, Lath., and has shown clearly that the 
only difference between the two supposed species lies in the 
colour of the lower tail-coverts and tips of the  rectrices, 
T. ferrago having these parts white, while 7°. orientalis has them 
of various shades of grey. Now, in Stray Fratuers, 1879, 
p- 840, f mentioned that in a series of these Doves obtained 
in Nepal there was every possible gradation of colour in the 
parts supposed to be diagnostic, and therefore that the differ- 
ences alluded to were certainly not constant. It is possible, 
however, that JZ. ferrago and TY. orientalis may interbreed in 
a common meeting-ground such as Nepal; and it will perhaps 
be more convenient to give a distinct name to the extreme 
forms. On this view the Gilgit specimens must all be referred 
to 1. ferrago. 
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