(32) ALSOCOMUS TORRINGTONII (Kelaart). 

 THE CEYLON WOOD-PIGEON. 



Paluwhus elpMnstonii var. Blyth, J.A.S.B., XX p. 178 (1851). 



Palumhus torringtonii Kelaart, Pro. Faun. Zey., p. 107 (1852), descr. nulla ; 

 Bp., Con. Av., n p. 42 ; Jerdon, B.I., III p. 466 ; Hume, Nests and 

 Eggs, p. 499 ; id., Str. Feath., VII p. 424 ; id. ib., VIII p. 109 ; id., 

 Cat. no. 786, bis ; Oates, in Hume's Nests and Eggs, 2nd ed., II p. 348. 



Palumhus torringtoniae Houldsworth, P.Z.S. 1872, p. 466 ; Legge, B. Gey., 



p. 693 ; Butler, J.B.N.H.S., IX p. 310. 

 Columba torringtoniae Salvadori, Cat. B.M., XXI p. 303 ; Sharpe, Hand-List 



I p. 71. 

 Alsocomus torringtoniae Blanf., Avi. Brit. I., IV p. 96. 



Vernacular Names. Mila-goya. Cing. in central provinces, Ceylon; 

 Mahavilla goya, Cing., apud Layard. 



Description. — Adult male. General type of coloration like that of 

 the Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon. The upper part of the head and nape lilac-grey 

 glossed with lilac, a faint green gloss also showing in certain lights ; patch 

 on back and sides of neck black, broadly tipped white, the patch being much 

 smaller than in the last bird and with fewer green edgings, which are often 

 altogether absent ; upper-back and sides of neck below patch, lilac-brown 

 glossed with the most brilliant copper-purple ; back, rump, upper tail-coverts, 

 and wing-coverts deep slaty, almost blackish-grey, most of the feathers of 

 the back, rump and inner coverts narrowly edged with black ; quills dark 

 brown with very narrow pale edges to the tips and outer webs ; taU blackish- 

 brown ; sides of head, lores, and sides of throat pale vinous-grey ; the chin 

 and centre of throat albescent ; lower-neck and whole breast reddish-grey 

 or reddish-ashy and glossed with a purple sheen somewhat less intense than 

 the purple lustre on the back ; remainder of lower-parts dull reddish-ashy, 

 palest on centre of abdomen and darkest on under taU-coverts ; under wing- 

 coverts, axUlaries, and flanks very dark ashy-grey or slaty-brown. 



Colours of soft parts. " Iris pale red, orbital skin dull pink ; bill plum- 

 beous, apical half bluish ; legs and feet pinkish fleshy, toes and soles red ; 

 legs sometimes white with the front of the tarsus and tops of the toes 

 reddish " (Legge). 



Measurements. Length 13 or 14 in. ( = 330.2 to 355.6 mm.) ; wing 

 7.20 in. ( = 182.8 mm.) to 8.20 ( = 208.6 mm.) with an average of 7.63 in. 

 ( = 193.8 mm.) ; bill at front barely .6 in. ( = 15.2 mm.) and from gape 

 about 1 in. ( = 25.4 mm.) ; tarsus about .9 in. ( = 22.8 mm.). 



" Length 13.5 to 14.3 in. ; wing 7.7 to 8.0 in. ; tail 5.25 in. ; tarsus 1.1 in. , 

 middle toe 1.72 ; its claw (straight) 0.4 in. ; bill to gape 1.1 in." (Legge). 



Adult female. Like the male. " Head, chest, and under-surface more 



