CEYLON WOOD-PIGEON 169 



ruddy than in the male, and the cupreous hue of the lower hind neck deeper ; 

 under tail-coverts and flanks redder " (Legge). 



" Length 13.2 in. ; wing 7.2 in. ; tail 5.0 in. ; bill to gape 1.0 in." (Legge). 



Colours of soft farts are also similar to the same parts in the male. 

 " Legs and feet not so red, with the posterior part of tarsus and sides of toes 

 fleshy-white " (Legge). 



Measurements. Unfortunately, very few of the specimens in the British 

 Museum collection are sexed and it is impossible to say from these whether 

 there is any difference in size between the sexes though it is probable the 

 female will be found to average smaller. 



Young male. Similar to the adult male but less highly glossed and with 

 the grey parts more brown and less slate coloured. The grey of the head 

 is also browner and not at all glossed. 



A young bird is thus described by Legge : " Upper surface ashy 

 plumbeous ; forehead and face slightly ruddy ; neck patch not developed ; 

 the feathers of the nuchal patch being blackish, with ashy whitish tips, not 

 pure white ; the metallic hues of the hind neck faintly developed ; chest 

 ruddy plumbeous ; the under surface vinaceous slaty, washed with fulvous 

 brown on the breast. Some examples have the wing-coverts edged with 

 rusty and the chin and gorge more albescent than in the adult. 



" Birds of the year have the iris yellowish-grey, with generally an outer 

 ring of pale red (the normal colour of the adult) ; bill dusky at the tip ; legs 

 and feet dull red anteriorly, dusky fleshy behind." 



Birds on first leaving the nest have the wing-coverts and some of the 

 feathers of the back edged with rusty-rufous, but all these markings seem 

 to be lost in the first autumn moult. 



Distribution. Ceylon only. Within the limits of Ceylon, Legge thus 

 describes the places it frequents : " Essentially a bird of the mountain forests, 

 this splendid Pigeon is well known to all Europeans m the Central Provinces. 

 It is very abundant in the Newara Eliya plateau forests and on all the 

 surrounding wooded slopes down to an elevation of about 3,000 ft. ; below 

 this it is not numerous; Kelaart speaks of examples bemg obtamed at 

 Gampola ; but this was in the days of forest ; now that the whole country 

 round that district is denuded, the visits of the Torrington Pigeon to it must 

 be few and far between. I met with it at Newara Eliya m May, and found 

 it plentiful on the Horton Plains in January ; it seemed then to prefer the 

 singular isolated groves on the plains to the surrounding forest, no doubt 

 owLg to a greater abundance of food obtaining at that time in tlie former. 

 It is very numerous in the Peak forests, where I procured it under 3,000 ft. ; 

 and I have no doubt these vast jungles stretching along the high mountain 

 chain up to the Horton Plains now forms its chief stronghold ^?^^^^3^rA 

 Korale I have killed it at Aning Kanda Estate as low as about 2,400 ft., and 

 between these and the Kukul Korale it is, I understand, almost abundant 



at times. , ,., j- i. ii, 



" Mr. Holdsworth remarks that it ' changes its locality according to the 

 season and the time at which the fruit of particular trees ripen. He found 

 it numerous at Newera Eliya at the end and beginmng of the year. Mr Bligh 

 has noticed that a migratory movement takes place just previous to the 

 'bursting' of each moSsoon; which, together with its wandermgs m search 

 of fruit, will probably account for its somewhat periodical appearance in 

 many districts." 



