BAR-TAILED CUCKOO-DOVE 241 



though this wears off to a great extent after they have been kept a few years. 

 The shell is very strong and rather thicker in proportion than most Doves' 

 eggs, and the inner lining is not quite so pure a white, being faintly tinged with 

 bu£E or cream. 



They are late breeders as a rule, a few birds start hi April, but not many 

 will be found lajdng until late in May, and most birds in June and July, 

 though I have taken eggs as late as the 15th of September in the Khasia Hills. 

 They breed from 3,000 ft. upwards, most frequently between 5,000 and 

 7,000 ft., but up to nearly 9,000 ft. 



Both birds assist in incubation, and they are very close sitters, for though 

 I have never actually touched a bird whilst on its nest, I have more than 

 once stood within two or three feet of a bird so engaged, and it has not 

 stirred until I put out my hand to the nest. 



The Bar-tailed Cuckoo-Dove is normally a bird of considerable 

 elevations, seldom remaining during the breeding-season much below 

 2,500 ft., but in the cold weather they wander a short distance into the 

 plains and are very common ia the broken groimd and foot-hiUs aU 

 along the Terai of the Himalayas and their various branches. Wardlaw 

 Ramsay describes the bird as " a Grotmd-Dove of a tame nature, very 

 partial to open glades and clearings in dense forest, especially when 

 covered with a secondary growth of low scrubby jungle." I have 

 quoted this in full as it does not quite agree with my own experiences. 

 AU through the hot weather and rains I have found the Cuckoo-Dove 

 to resort principally to dense evergreen or oak forest where it leads a 

 life that is far more arboreal than terrestrial. Its deep booming " coo " 

 calls one's attention from far away, and when the bird is finally located 

 it is almost certain to be seated high up on some tree which stands 

 well above those surrounding it. This trait is such a constant one in 

 the bird's character, that when I wanted specimens my procedure was 

 always to make for any conspicuous clump of lofty trees, and if not 

 already made aware of the Dove's presence by its call, I would generally 

 find it there on my arrival. 



The note consists of a single " coo," ending up in a sort of boom, 

 difficult to syllablize, but perhaps it may be represented by the 

 word "croo-omm," the two syllables rtmning into one another, and 

 the tone very deep and vibrating, so that it can be heard at a great 



distance. 



They feed both on trees, on acorns, berries, etc., and on the ground 

 on seeds, grain and shoots of young crops, and they are particularly 

 fond of the tender young shoots of the mustard-plant. 



They are not one of our sporting-birds, being easy to kill in every 



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