THICK-BILLED GREEN PIGEON 71 



and are especially greedy over plantains, often making their breast 

 and head-feathers in a very dirty state in their anxiety to get as much 

 as possible inside, in the shortest time on record. 



They drink fairly regularly, morning and evening in captivity, 

 and probably also in a state of nature, for this is one of the Green 

 Pigeons I have frequently seen on the ground by hill-streams, walking 

 about quite freely on the sandy bank or in amongst the " dhup " grass 

 which grows so freely in such places. I have also seen this Pigeon 

 on the ground feeding on wild-strawberries and the berry of a plant 

 which runs along the ground beside jungle-tracks. 



At night they seem to prefer roosting in high trees, but sometimes 

 also frequent cane-brakes for the same purpose, and I once found them 

 frequenting a dense bed of reeds in the Dijning River in north Cachar. 

 Day was only just breaking and the birds were fluttering about the 

 reeds as if they had been there all night, and I do not think they had 

 merely just come down to drink. 



They do well in captivity, and are very handsome httle Pigeons, 

 the brilliant red of their bill and the vivid green of the orbital skin 

 considerably enhancing the general beauty of their lovely plumage. 

 If the birds get ill the green of the orbital skin becomes very dull and 

 more of a Hvid than a verdigris green. 



In the plate of this Pigeon the artist has well shown the attitude 

 adopted by the male bird when commencing to posture before the 

 female during the courting-period. 



