POMPADOUR GREEN PIGEON 41 



Mr. J. Stuart has also worked Travancore for the last ten years or so 

 with great thoroughness, employing an army of observers in the location 

 of birds and nests, but has failed altogether to ever come across, or to obtain 

 a specimen, of the Pompadour Green Pigeon. 



Nidification. There is practically nothing on record regarding the 

 nidification of this Green Pigeon. Butler found a nest being built in June, 

 but the bird did not lay, and no description is given of the nest. Parker, in 

 Stray Feathers, merely states that the average of eight eggs is 1.15 in. by 0.88, 

 and observes that " this bird deserts its nests on the least possible provo- 

 cation." One pair of Parker's eggs sent to me was taken on 24.5.88, and is 

 said to have come from " a small roughly-made nest of sticks placed in 

 a sapling." 



I have a fair series of these eggs taken by W. Jenkins, chiefly at or about 

 Welgampola. They are, of course, pure white, and of the usual smooth but 

 not very close texture, and in shape broad ellipses, with the exception of 

 one pair, which are somewhat lengthened. They vary in length between 

 1.10 in. ( = 27.9 mm.) by 1.21 ( = 30.7 mm.) and in breadth between .91 in. 

 ( = 23.1 mm.) and .96 ( = 24.4 mm.). 



No nests were sent me with the eggs, but they were described as 

 rough platforms of twigs interlaced with one another with the slightest 

 of derpressions in the centre, and measuring about 6 in. across. In no case 

 was there any lining, and all the nests were either on high bushes or small 

 trees in forests. 



This is a bird of both hiU and plains country, being found at certain 

 seasons at the level of the sea, and at others as high as 4,000 ft., whilst 

 it is resident practically over the greater part of this area. The one 

 essential is that the country should be well wooded, and it is seldom, 

 if ever, to be found outside forest-land, or at lea«t land that is well 

 timbered, though it may wander into the open country, or short 

 distances away from forest when tempted by plentiful feeding. 



It appears to be entirely frugivorous in its diet, though it would 

 doubtless soon take to grain in captivity. A pair I saw in a cage in 

 Slave Island, Ceylon, were fed entirely on bread and milk and plantains, 

 and they seemed to be in a very good condition. 



There is very Httle on record about this Green Pigeon except as 

 recorded by Legge in his Birds of Ceylon. He there writes : " This 

 Pigeon is an inhabitant of woods, forests, and open timbered country : 

 it collects together in the fine Banyan, Bo, and Palu trees, which are 

 scattered through the low jungles of the eastern and northern Districts, 

 and also in the magnificent outspreading Mee trees which line the 

 borders of the jungle tanks, and in such resorts feeds in flocks on the 

 luscious berries which these large trees provide. Its flesh is at all 

 times delicious ; but when killed during the fruiting time of the Banyan 

 and ironwood, there is nothing which surpasses this Pigeon in flavour 



