THE



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BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE



AVICULTURAL SOCIETY.



7 hird Series —VOL. III. — IMO. 5 .—All rights reserved. MARCH, 1912.



NOTES ON SOME HABITS OF THE

KOKLA OR WEDGE-TAILED GREEN PIGEON


Sphenocercus sphenurus , (Vigors),


IN CONFINEMENT.


By Pelham T. L. Dodsworth, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.,

Member of the Bombay Natural History Society.


In an interesting article entitled “Green Pigeons” ( Cro-

copus pheenicopterns and Crocopus chlorogaster), contributed to the

columns of the Madras Mail , dated the 30th June, 1911, Mr. D.

Dewer makes, among others, the following remarks: —


(a) “ The natives, or at any rate some of them, assert that the

bird never descends to the ground, because when its foot

touches the earth, the bird loses a pound in weight, in

other words, shrivels up into nothingness. If asked how

it drinks, they will reply that it settles on a reed which

bends with its weight, so that it is able to partake of

the water beneath without touching the earth. I11 the

absence of a conveniently situated reed, the Green Pigeon

overcomes the difficulty by carrying a twig in its feet.

It would be interesting to discover the origin of this

story, etc.”


(fr) “Green Pigeons are said to be far less obtrusive in their

courtship than the majority of their kind. The male

does not puff himself out after the manner of other cock

pigeons, but is content to bow before his lady love, and

in this attitude move his expanded tail up and down.”


As a little light can sometimes be thrown on doubtful and



