1855.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 261 



nearly as in the Indian bird, but the vinaceous hue of the neck and 

 breast more intense ; the axillaries, sides, and under surface of the wing, 

 dark ashy, whereas in the Indian bird they are whitish ; the tail also is 

 more broadly tipped with white, and its lower coverts are ashy. The 

 feet too are larger and coarser ; and bill pale-coloured. This is clearly 

 Mr. Swainson's T. erythbophkys ; whereas the Abyssinian species is, as 

 decidedly, the 



*T. semitorquatus, Swainson (though not well agreeing with Dr. Riip- 

 pell's figure of semitobquatus). Wing 6% in. only; its 1st and 3rd pri- 

 maries ^ in. shorter than the 2nd, and f in. longer than the 4th: tail 

 sub-even, its outermost feather being \ in. shorter than all the rest. 

 Crown of the same vinaceous hue as the breast, scarcely infuscated, and 

 devoid of ashy tinge ; axillaries, sides, and under surface of wings, very 

 pale ashy ; and middle of belly and lower tail-coverts white. Bill black ; 

 and tarsi and toes conspicuously more slender and less coarse than in the 

 preceding. From the very decidedly distinct form of the wings and tail, 

 we do not hesitate to consider this as a distinct species from its various 

 near congeners.* 



* In the Cape species, T. vinaceus, (Gm.), the 2nd and 3rd primaries are 

 equal and longest, and the 1st and 4th are sub-equal, and £ in. shorter than the 

 preceding : outer tail-feathers £ in. shorter than the medial. General colour much 

 darker than in the others ; the under-surface of wings dusky-ash ; but the vent 

 and lower tail-coverts are whitish. 



T. risorius of India has the third primary a little shorter than the 2nd, and 

 the 1st \ in. shorter, and the 4th f in. shorter, than the 2nd: tail-feathers sub- 

 even, or slightly rounded, except the outermost pair, which are ^ in. shorter than 

 the medial. Nuchal semi-collar much narrower than in the others, and no vina- 

 ceous hue on the nape below it ; beneath the wings are whitish ; and the vent and 

 lower tail-coverts are of a full ash-grey. 



T. BiTORauATUS, (Tern.), of Java, Timor, &c, is another fine species of this 

 immediate sub-group, with the grey of the crown and wings, and the vinaceous of 

 the neck and breast, deeper and brighter than in the others ; black semi-collar 

 moderately broad, and margined (more broadly above) with white ; beneath the 

 wings very dark asby ; and vent and lower tail-coverts white. 



The Indian T. humilis, (Tern.), is somewhat less affined to the rest, and is 

 very remarkable (among the Columbid^e) for the diverse hue of the sexes. 



Having now five closely affined and very similar wild species or distinct races 

 of Collared Turtle-dove actually before us, the question arises, to which of 

 them should the common domestic Collared Turtle-dove (so abundantly bred in 

 cages) be referred, if indeed to any one of them ? This domestic breed would 

 seem to be of exceedingly remote antiquity, and was probably derived by the 



