1857.] Description of a new Indian Pigeon. 219 



central India, and also Ceylon, though, seemingly more common in 

 Arakan and especially the island of Ramri. These are mentioned 

 merely, that it might not appear that they had been overlooked. 



2. PALUMBiEN'A, Bonap., founded on Col. cenas, L. (P. colum- 

 bella, Bonap.), the British ' Stock Dove ;' to which the Prince has 

 since added P. Eveksmanni, from western and central Asia : very- 

 like P. jbnas, but distinctly smaller, with black bill and yellow tip 

 (dertrum), — the colouring of the bill having doubtless changed in 

 drying, as will be shewn presently. This should be the Col. cenas 

 apud Meyendorff, from Bokhara ; described to have the croup of a 

 very pale grey, with all the feathers white at base, in which it ac- 

 cords with our Indian species ; and it is not unlikely to prove the 

 very same, migrating according to season. The true P. jenas pro- 

 bably co-exists with it in "W. Asia ; and the European bird is known 

 to be extensively diffused over N. Africa. 



P. EvERSMAtftfi (?), Bonap. (If new, P. (jenicapilla, nobis.) 

 Smaller than P. jefas, with wings and tail each 1 in. shorter ; the 

 difference in the length of tail being very conspicuous. Colouring 

 much the same ; but the croup and fore-part of the wings under- 

 neath are of a ivhitish-grey (not pure white) in the Indian bird, 

 instead of being uuiformly dark- coloured with the rest, as in the 

 European ' Stock Dove.' The same vinaceous tint (whence the 

 name cenas) prevails on the fore -neck and breast of both species ; 

 but in the Indian it appears also on the crown, which in the other 

 is pure dark ashy. The wings are similarly marked, except that in 

 our presumed new species there is less black upon the winglet, and 

 the great alar feathers (including the tertiaries) are much less dark 

 in colour. Length of closed wing 8£ in. ; and of tail 4 in. only. 



Among some descriptions of birds sent for identification about 

 ten years ago by the late Major Boys, of the Bengal Cavalry, we 

 find one of this Indian ' Stock Dove.' He gives the length of a 

 fresh-killed male as 11^ in., extent of wings 24 in., and weight 7 oz, 

 4 dr. Mr. Selby states that P. jenas " measures about 14 inches. 

 and in extent of wing nearly 26 in." "The beak," remarks Dr. D. 

 Scott of Hansi, who has favored us with the specimen here describ- 

 ed, " is of a yellowdsh colour, and as if translucent ; but this ap- 

 pearance is only visible in the fresh bird, as it had disappeared when 



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