CH. V FAVSA OF TAZISSE 93 



large fmit-eating bronze vnng {Carpophaga paulina). The 

 breast is of a creamy pink colour, and the wings dark 

 green, -with a very well marked reddish-copper gloss. Its 

 native name is ' Kmn-kum,' which approximately describes 

 in words its deep musical cooing song, which is not unlike 

 that of our common wood-pigeons. I usually found them 

 in pairs, perched on some of the highest branches of 

 the trees, and many an anxious moment have I spent, 

 when my cupboard was bare, waiting to see if my fowling- 

 piece would be effective at such a distance. The feelings 

 of a hungry naturalist when he sees a reaUy edible bird 

 calmly waiting for the next shot are better imagined than 

 described. 



The grey pigeon, ' Kimi-kuni putih ' {Myristicivora luc- 

 tuosa), is not very common in TaUsse, although it abounds 

 in the neighbouring islands. A pair of these birds was 

 given to me aUve by the missionary at Mangarang, in the 

 Talaut islands, and they were for some weeks my household 

 pets ; but they disappeared when I went over to ^Vlanado 

 in December, and my boy declared they had died because 

 something he had given them to eat had stuck in their 

 throats. I wonder if the cause of death was that they had 

 stuck in his throat. 



A beautiful green dove (the Ptilopiis melanocephalus) , 

 with bright red and yellow feathers in its tail, is fre- 

 quently met with amongst the lower branches of the trees. 

 It is one of the most difficult birds of the forest to see, for 

 its colour exactly matches the fohage in which it hves. 

 Many a time has Manuel said to me, pointing to a branch, 

 ' Burong wakian tuan,' and I have looked and looked at the 

 spot he indicated without being able to discover the bird, 

 and been obhged eventually to hand him the gun to bring it 

 down. UnKke the other pigeons, this bird is nearly always 

 alone, or, perhaps I ought to say, I never could see its mate. 



