MACROPYGIN^E. 473 



and many have the play of colours on the neck as in the Columbce. 

 They are mostly mountaineers, and confined to forests. Some 

 are said to feed much on pepper and other aromatic fruits, and 

 their flesh is highly esteemed. One species only inhabits our 

 province. Mr. Blyth considers them to be nearly related to the 

 division of Palumbinee in which Alsocomus occurs, and I agree 

 with him that they have affinities for that group ; but to have 

 placed them next the Wood-pigeons, would have broken the chain 

 of affinities between the Palumbincs and Columbines ; and, taking 

 their Turturine physiognomy into consideration, I think they may 

 properly be placed between the Pigeons and Doves. They appear, 

 however, also to have certain affinities for the Treronidte. 



Gen. Mackopygia. 



Bill long and slender ; wings short ; tail long, broad, much 

 graduated ; legs and feet fitted for perching ; lateral toes some- 

 what unequal ; soles flat; rump more or less spinous. 



This genus comprises several birds from the East-India islands ; 

 and the following species, (with a closely allied bird from Java) 

 has been separated as Coccyzura, Hodgson, chiefly distinguished 

 by the tail being strongly barred. 



791. Macropygia tusalia, Hodgson. 



Coccyzura, apud Hodgson, J. A. S. XIII. 936 — Blyth, Cat. 

 1424— C. leptogrammica, Temminck, PI. col. 248 — Tusal, Nipal 

 — Plioochong-pho, Lepch. — Pumoh, Bhot. 



The Bak-tailed Tree-dove. 



Descr. — Male, upper plumage dusky black, with numerous 

 narrow, deep rufous bars on the mantle, wings, rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts ; forehead tinged with lake-color ; occiput and nape dull 

 ashy-vinaceous, glossed with changeable green and amethystine ; 

 primaries dusky black ; tail obscurely barred, with the inner webs 

 more or less rufous near their base, outer feathers ashy, with a 

 broad sub-terminal band, and the outer web of the outermost 

 feathers whitish ; chin and throat whitish, tinged with lake ; 

 breast dull vinous-ashy, with purple and green reflections, and the 

 rest of the lower parts yellowish- white ; lower tail-coverts buff. 



part ii. 3 o 



