74 



PIGEON. 



delights to feed. They are much esteemed, and are shot by the 

 Europeans for the sake of the flesh ; are also caught by birdlime. 

 It is common about Bengal, where it is called Coucla. Inhabits 

 also various parts of India, has a whistling kind of note, not unlike 

 that of a Thrush, very different from that of other Pigeons. 



92— PURPLE-SHOULDERED PIGEON. 



Columba phoenicoptera, Ind. Orn. ii. 597. 

 Purple-shouldered Pigeon, Gen. Syn. Sup. 202. 60. /3. 



SIZE of the Common Pigeon. Bill stout, dusky, edges pale; 

 head and neck olive-yellow ; between the neck and back ash-colour; 

 back and wings olive; lesser wing coverts pale purple; the greater 

 and second quills striped longitudinally black and white ; prime 

 quills black, but the outer edges of the first three are white ; breast 

 and belly pale ash ; tail olive-green, the end dusky ; legs pale orange 

 yellow. — Inhabits India. — Lady Impey. 



93— HURRIAL PIGEON. 



SIZE and colour of the Pompadour Pigeon ; the length twelve 

 inches. Bill cinereous ; irides purple, surrounded by a scarlet rim; 

 the front greenish ash-colour, inclining to purple ; upper part of the 

 neck olive-green ; lower, with the chin and breast, yellowish ; round 

 the lower part of the neck a cinereous circle ; back, rump, and upper 

 tail coverts cinereous green ; on each shoulder an ill defined, purple 

 spot; the lesser wing coverts part black, part green, margined with 

 yellow ; under wing coverts and sides cinereous ; quills black, below 

 dusky, the outer margins yellow ; belly yellowish ash-colour ; thighs 

 greenish ; the joint, and almost the whole of the leg, covered with 

 vellow feathers ; the vent and under tail coverts purple, tipped with 



