(lo) OSMOTRERON BISINCTA BISINCTA (Jerdon). 



THE LESSER ORANGE-BREASTED GREEN PIGEON. 



(Plate 3.) 



Vinago bisincta Jerdon, Madr. J.L.S., XH p. 13 (1840) ; id., 111. I. Om., p. 21. 



Vinago unicolor id., Madr. J.L.S., XI p. 14. 



Osmotreron Usincta id., B.I., HI p. 449 ; Legge, B. Cey., U p. 725, ill 



p. 1218 ; Butler, J.B.N.H.S., X p. 311 ; Taylor, Str. Feath., X p. 463 ; 



Ferguson, J.B.N.H.S., XVI p. 1. 



Vernacular Names. Chitta jmtsa guwa, Tel. ; Patcha-praa, Tamil in 

 Ceylon ; Batta-goya, Singhalese. 



Description. This subspecies only differs from the last in being very 

 decidedly smaller, with a wing of only 5.65 in. (or 143.5 mm. against 158.5 mm. 

 in the northern and eastern form). The male and female differ from one 

 another in exactly the same way as do those of the Common Orange-breasted 

 Pigeon. 



" Bill greenish glaucus ; legs pinkish-red ; irides red, surmounted by 

 a blue circle " (Jerdon). 



" Iris carmine outwardly and beautifully cobalt blue inwardly ; divided 

 by a narrow dark ring, eyelid glaucus green ; bill with the soft basal half 

 glaucus green, and the terminal half pale blue ; legs and feet coral red or 

 pink red ; claws bluish brown " (Legge). 



Distribution. Ceylon, Malabar, and the Bombay Presidency as far 

 north as Kanara, the south of Madras to about latitude 14° ; and it has also 

 been recorded by Jerdon from the Carnatic and east of Nellore. 



Although so very closely allied to the last bird this subspecies appears 

 to have a very well-defined habitat, and there seems to be a very wide stretch 

 of country in north Madras, the extreme south of Orissa, and the Central 

 Provinces, where no form of Orange-breasted Green Pigeon is to be found, 

 or if it does occur at all, only with extreme rarity. Consequent on this 

 definitive gap in their distribution, we have a very well-defined difference in 

 the measurements of the two subspecies, as already shown. 



This appears to be one of those interesting cases in which a race of birds 

 has established itself, and thriven at some distance from its parent stock 

 whilst the intermediate area has proved unsuitable, so that the intervening 

 form inhabiting it has, or will very shortly have, died out. Legge went into 

 the question of the racial difference of this Pigeon from the Indian form, but 

 only compared his Ceylon specimens with those from south India, from which, 

 as he says, they cannot be divided. 



Nidification. The breeding-season of this bird is variously reported 

 by different collectors. Layard took its nest in May, but Legge says that 

 it also breeds in August. Sykes took its eggs, which he very kindly sent 

 me, near Kandy in February and March, and Jenkins collected three clutches 

 for me in January and February. 



