220 Description of a neiv Indian Pigeon. [No. 3. 



the specimen became dry.* The legs also had a distinctly yellowish 

 tinge, instead of the red of the common Blue Pigeon ; but this also 

 soon disappeared." Major Boys describes the bill and cere as grey, 

 the skin round the eye yellow ; iris buff ; and legs flesh-pink, — those 

 of our common blue Pigeon being of a deep pinkish-red. 



Of the habits of the race, Major Boys merely remarks, that — 

 " These birds fly in flocks and affect trees!" When at Cawnpore* 

 last year in May, I observed every evening a large flock of blue 

 Pigeons to collect and roost upon some high trees within canton- 

 ments, and therefore not to be fired at ; and having never observed 

 the common Blue Pigeon of this country to roost upon trees, I was 

 led to suspect that the birds in question were of a race of ' Stock- 

 doves,' probably different in species from the European ; a conjec- 

 ture which seemed to be verified by the discovery of the bird now 

 under consideration : but I am assured, upon good authority, that 

 the Columba intermedia, Strickland, does commonly roost upon 

 trees, in which habit it would seem to differ remarkably from its 

 very near afiine the C. livia of Europe and N. Africa. 



Of the Indian ' Stock Pigeon,' Dr. Scott remarks — " Though I 

 have been at Hansi nearly five years, I have never seen these 

 Pigeons before ; but others have seen them, and have assured me of 

 their occurrence as a distinct race, different from our common Blue 

 Pigeon which breeds in wells. Early in March there were hundreds 

 of them about here ; but they soon disappeared. They feed in the 

 fields morning and evening, and roost in the day (and I suppose the 

 night also) in trees, generally in the common babul tree, called 

 here the Iceeher. The natives distinguish them by the name hum' 

 oner Tculla or hula ; the last word being the name of a colour.f 

 To Europeans they are also here known as the * Hill Pigeon ;' 



* In the dry specimen, the bill is black with yellow dertrum^ as in the Prince 

 of Canino's P. Eveksmanni! 



t In the chapter devoted to the rearing of Pigeons in the Ay in ATchdri, a num- 

 ber of breeds or races are enumerated, concluding with the Komeree and the 

 Gowlah (Gladwin's translation.) These names refer to the tame Collared Turtle- 

 dove and to the common c Blue Pigeon' of the country (or C. intermedia) respec- 

 tively. The latter, indeed, is stated to be " a wild Pigeon, of which, if a few 

 are taken, they are speedily joined by a thousand others of their kind." 



