1845.] Drafts for a Fauna Indica. 877 



black spots on the greater wing-coverts. Tail marked with white as in 

 the other Turtle-doves. Bill, irides, and feet, red. Whether the Indian 

 Carpophagce ever lay more than a single egg in each nest, is also a sub- 

 ject for investigation. 



April 4th, 1846. E. B. 



Postscript. — Some notes on the Indian Colwnbidce, with which I have been oblig- 

 ingly favoured by Capt. Tickell, arrived too late to be incorporated in the foregoing 

 paper, but may nevertheless be advantageously appended to it. 



( < Treron phcenicoptera. These birds are very common throughout the high stony 

 barren parts of Singbhoom, and in the Mautbhoom district, confining themselves to 

 the hurgoolur and peepul trees. They breed in the thick damp forests to the south- 

 ward, towards Sumbulpoor, during the rains ; at which time not a single specimen is 

 to be found in these parts. The Oorias sell numbers of the young ones, which are taken 

 to Calcutta.* 



" Tr. bicincta. I killed a specimen of this bird, some years ago, in Singbhoom, 

 when firing into a flock of the Common Hurrial: and 1 have more than once re- 

 marked, in a flock of the latter, smaller individuals, which 1 have no doubt were inter- 

 lopers of this species. It is exceedingly rare here, for I have never obtained another 

 specimen. 



*' Tr. sphenurus. This bird, the Kookoo-fo of the Lepchas at Darjeeling, is there 

 exceedingly common, but is not so extensively gregarious as the common Hurrial of the 

 plains. They frequent the highest trees, feeding on their berries, and running along 

 the branches with great agility. The male has a most agreeable note, exactly resem- 

 bling the music of a pastoral reed or pipe. It breeds in June and July, making a 

 large nest in high trees, deeper than that of the common Doves and Wood Pigeons. 

 Bill, pale livid blue, nearly white at tip, and pale clear cobalt basally. The young 

 resemble the female; and the ruddy tinge of the back and small wing-coverts of the 

 male is not assumed until the second year.f 



" Carpophaga insignis. Of this fine species, I killed a female (one of a pair, the male 

 of which escaped) at Kursiong, towards the end of the month of June. It is not com- 

 mon. The pair were perched on a small tree on the summit of the hill, feeding on 

 berries, with which the crop of the female was filled. Voice, a deep short groan, re- 

 peated — ' woo-woo-woo.' Length of this female seventeen inches, by twenty-seven 

 inches in spread of wing ; wing nine inches. Irides pearl-grey: bill, dull lake, with 

 blackish tip; legs dull lake. Back, scapularies, and wing-coverts, full deep vinous 

 ash-grey washed with cupreous, the latter pervading the tips and edges of the 

 feathers. 



" C. sylvatica. I have found these birds only in one part of my district, — in the jun- 

 gles bordering on Midnapore. They were in a party of eight or ten, perching on 

 detached trees, in a wide plain of jungle-grass. The notes are deep and ventriloquous. 



* All that I have seen with the Calcutta dealers, were from the neighbourhood, and chiefly adults 

 newly taken with hird-lime. 



t I have observed this red to be less developed in some specimens ; but still suspect that more 

 or less of it would be obtained at the first moult.— E. li. 



G A 



