PALUMBIN^E. 465 



This Wood-pigeon has only been found in the N. W. Himalayas, 

 near Simla, and in the Alpine Punjab, and it visits the Salt range 

 and the plains of the Punjab during winter. Its habits are said 

 to be quite those of the European bird. 



The European Cushat inhabits all Europe, Western Asia, and 

 North Africa; lives in woods, and feeds on grain, peas, young 

 shoots and leaves, acorns, beech-nuts, &c. 



Next come the purely Indian group alluded to above. 



785. Palumbus pulchricollis, Hodgson. 



Columba, apud Hodgson, J. A. S. XIV. 866 — Blyth, Cat. 

 1414 — Gould, Birds of Asia, pt. VI., pi. 13 — C. Elphinstonei, 

 Gray, Cat. Birds of Nepal — Nampoong-pho, Lepch. 



The Daejeeling Wood-pigeon. 



Descr. — Above, general colour dusky grey ; the head, cheeks, and 

 ear-coverts pure light ashy ; the sides of the neck glossed with 

 green and purple, and a large neck-patch of rigid, glistening 

 feathers, black at the base, with broad isabelline tips, and whitish 

 at the extreme tip ; tail blackish ; beneath, pale vinous dove-grey, 

 more or less whitish towards the vent, and subdued white on the 

 lower tail-coverts; throat whitish; breast brightly glossed with 

 green and purple. 



Bill livid at the base, yellow at the tip ; irides yellow ; legs 

 dull red ; claws yellow. Length 13^ to 14 inches ; wing 8^ to 9 ; 

 tail 4| to 5. 



This Wood-pigeon, though belonging to the same group, differs 

 conspicuously from the Neilgherry P. Elphinstonei, with which it 

 was formerly confounded by Gray, by the color of the neck -patch, 

 the less purple tint above, and the more vinous tint below. It 

 has only been found, hitherto, in the South-eastern Himalayas, 

 in Nepal and Sikim ; and it frequents the higher elevations only, 

 from 7,000 feet upwards. It is not very common about Darjeeling. 



786. Palumbus Elphinstonei, Sykes. 



Ptilinopus, apud Sykes, Cat. 138— Jeedon, Cat. 283— Jeedon, 

 111. Ind. Orn., pi. 48 — Blyth, Cat. 1415— Gould, Birds of Asia, 

 pt. VI., pi. 12. 



PAET II. 3 N 



