1900.] H. J. Walton — Notes on birds collected in Kumaon. 167 



1296. Columba leuconota. — Very common at and above the snow- 

 level, and not at all wild. They frequent the hill paths and the banks 

 of streams, during the middle of the day, in pairs, or parties of three 

 or four individuals. In the morning and evening they assemble in 

 flocks of twenty to sixty birds nnd feed in the fields. I saw one of their 

 breeding places at Mann, at the foot of the pass, on May 20th. It 

 was in a cliff about eighty feet high, overhanging a cascade. The 

 natives told me that the Snow-Pigeon always builds rather low down, 

 near the water, to avoid the Choughs, which mostly frequent the 

 higher parts of the cliff. I do not think that there were any eggs 

 laid on the date of my visit, but I saw one bird carrying building 

 materials to a ledge in the rock, and many courting, the males behaving 

 just like domestic pigeons. I also saw one pair in coitu. 



1297. Dendrotreron Iwdgsoni. — I saw this very handsome Wood 

 Pigeon on several occasions, during the month of May, at about 7000 

 feet. Blanford snys about this bird : — *' A shy bird, usually seen in 

 small flocks amongst the pine forests." I shot a pair at Goiikund, near 

 Kedarnath, on May 2nd. They were feeding on low bushes, about 

 thirty yards from my tent, and about fifty yards from the village, 

 which was crowded with noisy pilgrims. They did not seem to be at 

 all shy. I shot the hen first; the cock flew away for a short distance, 

 and returned almost at once to the spot from which he had been 

 disturbed. The reproductive organs were well developed, and the birds 

 must soon have bred. I could get no information from the natives 

 about their nidification. The claws are very bright yellow — not " pale 

 yellow " as stated by Jerdon. 



1305. Turlur ferrago — The Indian Turtle Dove is common, and 

 met with up to 10,000 feet. 



1307. Turtur suratensis. — Very common, up to about 8000 feet. 

 1310. Turtur risorius. — Common at low elevations. 



1333. Catreus walliclri. — I did not see the Cheer Pheasant myself, 

 but I bought a skin said to have been obtained near Ranikhet. 



1334. Pucrasia macrohjoha. — Met with singly or in pairs in many 

 parts of the disfrict. At the time of my visit to Kumaon, all the 

 pheasants were breeding, and I disturbed them as little as possible. 



1336. Qennseus albicrlstatus — Very common. I saw a cock clap- 

 ping his wings and making a great demonstration in front of an 

 apparently indifferent hen. 



1342. Lophophorus refulgens — Tolerably plentiful, and very wary. 



1344. Tragopan satyra. — I did not come across this pheasant, but 

 I bought a skin from a native. The bird was said to have been shot 

 near the Pindari Glacier. 



