401 



it is a variety and not a distinct species, and which might easily be 

 confounded with C. leuconotd) were seen on the rocky banks of the 

 Dras river, Ladakh, having the back and wings of a Hght bhie ; immp 

 white ; tail-coverts leaden-black ; a broad white band across the 

 middle of the tail, its tip black ; inner surface of wings white ; belly 

 and lower parts bluish-white. They were mixed up with flocks of 

 C. livia ; and my reasons for supposing it only a variety were the 

 constant companionship of the two, and some variety as regards the 

 colouring of both ; however, it is possible they may be distinct species. 

 / saw this bird nowhere else *." 



The late Major Boys, of the Bengal Cavalry, a most experienced 

 collector of Indian birds, also distinguished a ' Blue Bock Pigeon,' 

 which he procured at Hawulbagh in Kemaon, and which is evidently 

 this species. " This pigeon," he remarks f, "differs considerably 

 from the common Blue Pigeon, particularly in its weight and size. 

 Length of a male 12-| inches by 25 inches ; weight 7 ozs. 8 drs. Bill 

 black, the cere grey ; iris red ; legs pink. Top of head, chin, and 

 sides of face ashy -grey ; back of neck and upper part of breast glazed 

 metallic green ; bottom of neck metallic purple, blending into ashy 

 light grey on the belly ; flanks and vent light grey ; wing-coverts 

 and upper part of the back of the same colour ; middle of back white ; 

 upper tail-coverts dark ashy-grey. Quills grey (the shafts black), 

 darker near their tips ; second quill longest ; outer webs darker than 

 the inner. Some of the larger wing-coverts (those covering the 

 tectrices), together with the last six or seven tertiaries, bear a patch of 

 greyish-black, which, when the wing is extended, forms two indistinct 

 and somewhat curved bands. Tail dark grey at the base, broadly 

 tipped with black, and having between these two colours a broad 

 stripe of white. Inferior coverts white, blending with grey towards 

 the anterior margin of the wing. Length of tail 5 inches, the quills 

 (when the wings are closed) reaching to its tip. The exterior tail- 

 feathers are pure white from their bases on the external web, finished 

 off at the tip with black, the inner webs being grey at base, as ob- 

 taining in the intermediate feathers." 



From the above notes it appears that the range of the C rupestris 

 extends southward as far as Kemaon, on the southern side of the 

 Himalayas. 



* Dr. Leith Adams since writes me that he killed several specimens of this 

 bird, which was common on rocky places around the Ladakh Lakes. In his Note- 

 book is the following memorandum : — " Salt Lakes, Ladakh, July 24th, 1852. 

 There is a pigeon in the rocky parts around the Lakes, called by sportsmen the 

 ' Imperial Rock Pigeon.' I fancy they think it is the C. leuconota ; but from 

 three specimens I have shot to-day, I can make out a decided distinction." 



t Vide J. A. S. Beng. 1857, p. 224. 



No. 409. — Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



