21 MALAYAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



while the larger species (O. vernans) was very abundant. 



Osmotreron vernans. The Green Pigeon. 



This handsome bird, the Green Pigeon of Europeans, the 

 li Puuei " of the Malays, is very plentiful throughout the country, 

 particularly about the well- wooded islands to the south of the 

 peninsula. 



Towards evening they have a regular " flight," dozens passing 

 over the same spot night after night for about an hour before 

 sunset, on their way to roost in some favourite clump of trees ; 

 but if much fired at, after a few evenings they change their line. 



By waiting for them I have often had very good sport, shooting 

 them as they passed overhead, generally in parties of from five to 

 ten, but occasionally in large flocks. Their flight is very rapid ; 

 and being thickly feathered, pretty straight shooting is necessary 

 to bring them down, a stray pellet or two having but little effect, 

 unless a vital part happens to be touched. 



There is a tree in the Straits bearing a large hard berry, of 

 which the Green Pigeons are very fond; and when ripe, the 

 birds collect in great numbers to feed on it. One of these fruit- 

 bearing trees grew just outside our mess-house at Tanglin ; and 

 by watching near it, we often got several shots in a very short 

 space of time. In my notes I see that near this tree, on 10th 

 September, 1879, " I shot nine in about twenty minutes ; nearly 

 all were this year's birds, and capital eating. The males had not 

 fully assumed the beautiful orange breast, that part being only 

 tinged and mottled with different most delicate shades of purple 

 and orange. Their craws were full of berries." 



Even these young birds, with comparatively tender skins, took 

 a lot of shot. 



In Perak I found them breeding during March, among the 

 bushes in the sw r ampy valleys, making a small,, flat, and loosely- 

 put-together nest of dry twigs, usually at from 6 to 10 feet from 

 the ground. The eggs were two in number, of a delicate pink 

 colour, but white when blown. 



O. vernans is very like, but smaller than, the Indian species 

 (O. bicuicln) ; the female is smaller and of duller plumage than 

 the male,, and wants the bright orange patch on the breast, which 



