THE BIRDS OF NORTH CACHAR. 359 



They vary in length between '99" and 1*29", and in breadth between 

 •9" and 1;00," the average of 39 eggs being l-15"x*96". 



1 have one egg •99"x*92", the most spherical I have seen, and another 

 1'24"X'92", a remarkably different shape. 



I have heard it utter two notes — one a sharp quavering cry not unlike 

 that of a peafowl, though naturally of far less volume ; and the other a 

 soft ^' chuck, " which it repeats at long intervals when seated or on 

 the wing in the evenings. It is, however, .an extremely silent bird, and 

 one may be yeSrs in a place frequented by it without ever hearing its 

 note. 



It is very crepuscular in its habits, and avoids sunshine entirely. I 

 have often seen it about up to 10 a.m., but always in very shady places, 

 generally thick bamboo jungle or a shady nullah in deep forest. 



It sometimes feeds on the wing very much, in the same manner 

 as do the night-jars, and their flight is like that of those birds, 

 swift and perfectly noiseless ; it is never sustained for any time, 

 the bird perching after every swoop for an insect. I have seen 

 them capturing termites and, whilst so engaged, could with diffi- 

 culty tell them from the night-jars which were also hawking about 

 in some numbers. 



Order — Columb^. 



Family Columhidce, 



Sub-Family F'alumbince. 



(406) Alsocomus puniceus.— The Purple Wood-pigeon, 



Hume, No. 782, 



I may here mention that were I not following Gates' classification 



for the purpose of this Catalogue, I should most certainly have adopted 



that of Count Salvadori as given in Vol. XXI of the British Museum 



Catalogue ; and this genus Alsocomus and also Pahimbus would have 



been absorbed in that of Columba. 



I do not think that A.puniceus is a rare bird in certain parts of Cachar, 

 but I have never yet seen it in North Cachar, nor have I seen it more 

 than twice in the plains. Two men, however, who collect for me in 

 the plains have brought me several specimens, and on one occasion 

 brought me the remains of two skins, together with two eggs. They 

 were received by me on the 12th of June, 1889, but had been taken 

 some days before. Not being well blown, they are rather discoloured, 



