401 



it is a variety and not a distinct species, and which might easily be 

 confounded with C. leuconota) were seen on the rocky banks of the 

 Dras river, Ladakh, having the back and wings of a light blue ; rump 

 white ; tail-coverts leaden-black ; a broad white band across the 

 middle of the tail, its tip black ; inner surface of wings white ; belli/ 

 and lower parts bluish-white. They were mixed up with flocks of 

 C. livia ; and my reasons for supposing it only a variety were the 

 constant companionship of the two, and some variety as regards the 

 colouring of both ; however, it is possible they may be distinct species. 

 I saw this bird nowhere else *." 



The late Major Boys, of the Bengal Cavalry, a most experienced 

 collector of Indian birds, also distinguished a ' Blue Rock Pigeon/ 

 which he procured at Hawulbagh in Kemaon, and which is evidently 

 this species. "This pigeon," he remarks f, "differs considerably 

 from the common Blue Pigeon, particularly in its weight and size. 

 Length of a male 12-| inches by 25 inches ; weight 7 ozs. 8 drs. Bill 

 black, the cere grey ; iris red ; legs pink. Top of head, chin, and 

 sides of face ashy-grey ; back of neck and upper part of breast glazed 

 metallic green ; bottom of neck metallic purple, blending into ashy 

 light grey on the belly ; flanks and vent light grey ; wing-coverts 

 and upper part of the back of the same colour ; middle of back white ; 

 upper tail-coverts dark ashy-grey. Quills grey (the shafts black), 

 darker near their tips ; second quill longest ; outer webs darker than 

 the inner. Some of the larger wing-coverts (those covering the 

 tectrices), together with the last six or seven tertiaries, bear a patch of 

 greyish-black, which, when the wing is extended, forms two indistinct 

 and somewhat curved bands. Tail dark grey at the base, broadly 

 tipped with black, and having between these two colours a broad 

 stripe of white. Inferior coverts white, blending with grey towards 

 the anterior margin of the wing. Length of tail 5 inches, the quills 

 (when the wings are closed) reaching to its tip. The exterior tail- 

 feathers are pure white from their bases on the external web, finished 

 off at the tip with black, the inner webs being grey at base, as ob- 

 taining in the intermediate feathers." 



From the above notes it appears that the range of the C. rupestris 

 extends southward as far as Kemaon, on the southern side of the 

 Himalayas. 



* Dr. Leith Adams since writes me that he killed several specimens of this 

 bird, which was common on rocky places around the Ladakh Lakes. In his Note- 

 book is the following memorandum : — " Salt Lakes, Ladakh, July 24th, 1852. 

 There is a pigeon in the rocky parts around the Lakes, called by sportsmen the 

 ' Imperial Rock Pigeon.' I fancy they think it is the C. leuconota ; but from 

 three specimens I have shot to-day, I can make out a decided distinction." ' 



f Vide J. A. S. Beng. 1857, p. 224. 



No. 409. — Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



