IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 233 



[(116) THE HACKLED GEOUND PIGEON. 

 (CAL^NAS NICOBAKICA— (Linn.) ) 



Description. — Head and neck slaty grey or greyish black ; the tail 

 and the tail-coverts white ; the rest of the plumage, with minor excep- 

 tions, green with metallic reflexions; the distinguishing characteristic 

 of this species is its thick bunch of hackles, which from the base of the 

 occiput and the back of the neck flow down on to the body ; those from 

 the occiput are more or less hairlike ; total length about 15| to 16 

 inches. 



Hab.— Nicobar Islands principally, but also found in the Andaman 

 group. Some authorities say that it is found in Mergui and the 

 Malay peninsula, but others deny this. 



Length of life in captivity. 



The longest period during which one has as yet lived in the 

 garden has been over nine years. 



(117) THE COMMON CEOWNED PIGEON. 

 (GOTTEA COEONATA— (Linn.) ) 



Description, — Of large size and massive and rounded form ; pre- 

 vailing colour of the plumage pale blue ; wing-coverts maroon-lilac 

 with coppery-bronze reflexions, with a white band across ; a band of the 

 same colour and reflexions stretches across the back also; tail tipped 

 with bluish white ; the most characteristic feature of the species is its 

 large, prominent and beautiful crest, which, commencing from the 

 middle of the forehead, is continued down in a line to the middle of 

 the occiput ; it consists of about fourteen plumes, and viewed from the 

 sides looks like the upstretched train of a peacock without the ocelli ; 

 irides crimson ; the scutillse of the starsus very prominent. 



Hab. — New Guinea. 



Length of life in captivity. 



They appear to bear captivity extremely well, as most of those 

 now exhibited have been living since 1879. 



(118) THE YICTOEIA CEOWNED PIGEON. 

 (GOUEA YlGTORim-maser.) 



Description, — In size, form, bulk and general colour the same as 

 the preceding species. It differs from the latter in the following 

 respects— breast lilac-brown with coppery reflexions ; band on the 



