1840.] 



of the Peninsula of India. 



13 



white ; feathers of tarsus bright yellow ; thigh coverts green, edged with 

 whitish ; tail entirely gray above ; beneath blackish, with a broad margin of 

 bluish white ; feet saffron yellow ; irides fine smalt blue, with an exterior 

 circle of carmine ; bill thick and strong, greenish white at base, bluish at 

 the tip. Length 12 inches ; wing 7| ; tail 4. 



In the young birds the under tail coverts are dusky green, edged with 

 whitish, and this is the only material difference I have observed among 

 numerous specimens from all parts of the country. 



287. — V. aromatica, Auct. —Marroon-hacked green pigeon. 



I have only found this handsome green pigeon in small parties, in thick 

 forest jungle in Malabar, and at the foot of the Neilgherries. One speci- 

 men differs somewhat from the orhers in having the face, forehead and 

 chin yellow, the under tail coverts mottled with green and white, and in 

 the bluish white tip of the lateral tail feathers being broader. This, I 

 think, may be a young bird. 



Bill and irides as in last : the former much more slender ; feet and legs 

 lake red. Length about 10| inches ; wing nearly 6 ; tail 4. 



288. — V, affinis. — New species ? — Young of last ? 



Descr.— Forehead and head grey ; rest of plumage green ; yellowish on 

 chin ; tail with centre feather green ; exterior cinerous, with a black band 

 near tip ; under tail coverts barred with white and green ; bill, irides, and 

 feet as in the last ; bill stronger. Length about 10^ ; tail 3i. This may 

 be considered as the young of the last, which it resembles in size and form, 

 but the absence of the rich marroon colour of back and wings, the fact of 

 its being always found separate, and other circumstances, have in- 

 duced me for the present to consider it as distinct. I have seen specimens 

 of this pigeon in several collections made on the West Coast, but have 

 only obtained it twice myself in forest jungle, and both times solitary. 



289. — V. hicincta. — New species? — V. pu?yurea^ Auct., Brown 111. 

 Zool. ? — V. vernans^ var., Less. Traite. — Purple and orange breasted green 

 pigeon. 



Descr. — Back of head and neck above blae grey; forehead, top of head, 

 face, chin, throat, belly and rest of the plumage above, green of different 

 shades ; a broad band of orange or bright cinnamon yellow, on the breast, 

 separated from the green of the throat by a light purple band ; lower belly 

 and vent yellow ; some of the feathers streaked with green ; under tail 

 coverts entirely cinnamon colour : tail above grey, with a central dark band, 

 and edged lighter ; beneath almost black ; whitish at the tip ; edges of the 



