48 



Northern India ; and I did not observe it in the forests of Malabar, though observed by Elliot in 

 Dharwar, and by Sykes in the, northern part of the Ghats ; but I have procured it in bamboo 

 jungles on the Eastern Ghats, in Goomsoor, in Central India, and also in Eastern Bengal, the 

 Khasia hills, and Cachar." According to Blyth in his commentary on Dr. Jerdon's ' Birds of 

 India' (Ibis, 1867, pp. 149, 150), "the Himalayan bird resembles T. auritus, except in being 

 much larger ; and it is doubtless the T. auritus from the Alpine Punjab of Mr. Vigne's list 

 (P. Z. S. 1841, p. 6). The more eastern form (Columba gelastes, Temm. Faun. Japon. Aves, 

 tab. lx. b) has the lower tail-coverts greyer. In T. meena the latter are dark ash-colour. This 

 last species I obtained in the interior of Martaban, near the Shan frontier. T. rupicola must 

 be the species (no. 155) described by Dr. Adams (P. Z. S. 1859, p. 187) as 'common in certain 

 localities on the Cashmere ranges and Ladakh ; plentiful likewise to the east towards Simla. 

 Frequents grassy mountain-sides or valleys in the lesser ranges.' It is certainly common near 

 Simla ; and it is the T. orientalis of Capt. T. Hutton, who states that it is ' a mere summer 

 visitant at Mussoorie, where it arrives early in April, when every wood resounds with its deep- 

 toned cooing. It is not found lower than 6000 feet with us, and departs in October ' (J. A. S. B. 

 xvii. pt. 2, p. 13)." But from the above it would seem that the Turtur meena alluded to by 

 Blyth is the dark eastern form, and not the bird described by Sykes. Dr. Leith Adams states 

 that it occurs in cultivated districts in Cashmere and Ladak ; and Dr. Henderson (I. c.) met with 

 it in considerable numbers in the Sind valley, Kashmir. Mr. A. O. Hume (I. c.) enters very fully 

 into the question of the differences between the two forms of the present species ; and I may refer 

 to his article on the subject. To the southward the present species has been found as far as 

 Ceylon, where, Mr. Layard states, he obtained one in immature dress. Mr. Blyth records it from 

 Arrakan and Tenasserim, in Burmah, and Mr. Wardlaw-Ramsay from Tonghoo, Karen-nee at 

 4000 feet ; and, according to Mr. Blyth, it is found down to Malacca. In China, Mr. Swinhoe 

 states, it is found in South China, Formosa, and Hainan in winter. In Japan the present species 

 appears to be tolerably common. Commodore Perry obtained several at Hakodadi, where 

 Mr. Whitely also met with it ; Captain Blakiston speaks of it as being common enough in the 

 summer and autumn ; and I have received it from Yokohama. 



In habits the present species is said not to differ from the common Turtledove ; and its nest 

 and eggs closely resemble those of that species. I am indebted to Mr. W. E. Brooks, C.E., for an 

 egg of this bird, which resembles eggs of the European Turtledove, but is slightly larger. 



The specimen figured is an adult male from Japan, in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, $ ad. Yokohama, Japan, b, 6 . Yokohama, February 14th, 1870 (Captain Conrad) . c. India (Burton). 



E Mus. Brit. Beg. 



a, b, c, ad., d,juv. Nepal (Hodgson), e, c?. China (Gould). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 



a. N.W. Himalayas, b. India, c. Maunbhoom, India (Beavan). 



