66 GYLDENSTOLPE, BIRDS COLLECTED BY THE SWEDISH ZOOLOGICAL EXPEDITION TO SIAM. 



151. Carpophaga aenea L. — The Green Imperial Pigeon was only seen or 

 heard in the Northern provincesv but here it occurred both in the evergreen- and jn 

 the dry forests, but in the latter more rarely than in the former. According to its 

 habit of always keeping in the highest trees it was seldom shot and diiring the 

 whole journey I only got three specimens. Its flesh is very good and this bird is a 

 genuine fruit-feeder. Its note is very loud and is heard at a great distance. 



152. Chalcophaps indica L. — Of the Bronze-winged Döve I only got a female 

 specimen shot by a native hunter in a primeval evergreen forest near Bång Hue 

 Hom. I ne ver myself observed it, so it seems to be very rare in Siam. The spe- 

 cimen obtained has the plumage mucli worn and is in moult. The wing measures 

 138 mm. 



153. Turtur tigrinus Blyth. — Very common everywhere, especially on or 

 near the rice-fields, in the clearings and round the villages, sometimes hundreds of 

 individuals were seen together. 



Wing in (^ = 143 mm. 



» » $ = 138 » 

 Iris = yellowish brown. 



Fam. Plias.anidae. 



154. Pavo muticus L. — One of the shyest birds I met with was the Peafowl, 

 and it was not very common either. 



The first time I had an opportunity of observing wild Peafowls was near the 

 small and inhospitable Laos village of Non Luum in Eastern Siam. One morning 

 when I went out on a collecting trip I saw some peafowls walking about on a rice- 

 field close to a thick jungle. But before I had got within range the birds had 

 scented danger and disappeared into the wood. I tried to beat them up for more 

 than an hour but it was quite in vain. I only heard the birds' moving from tree 

 to tree and once I caught a glimpse of a hen just leaving a gigantic tree. 



In Northen Siam Peafowls seemed to be rarer but I heard them calling several 

 times, especially in the dry forests near Den Chai and Pak Pan. 



155. Polyplectrum bicalcaratus L. — I ne ver myself succeeded in shooting 

 a specimen of this Peacock Pheasant though it was by no means uncommon in the 

 hill forests of Northern Siam. Especially the evergreen forests, wliich surround the 

 Meh Lem river seemed to be favourite grounds for many kinds of Pheasants, according 

 to the native hunters. I also saw some skins of Polyplectru?n bicalcaratus L. shot 

 by a European, but unfortunately they were in siich a bad condition that they were 

 of no value for a collection. 



