This is so like No. 163 that it seems scarcely deserving of specific rank. It differs only in having the lower breast green instead of grey.
[165]. Columba intermedia: The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon. (F. 1292), (J. 788), (+III.)
This familiar bird scarcely needs description. It is the common Kabutar. It is a bluish-grey bird (light slate colour) with two broad black bars across the wing. The tip of the tail is black; legs red.
Found all over India. In the Punjab this species meets an allied form—Columba livia—which is distinguished by the fact that its lower back is white instead of slaty grey.
The Doves, 166-169
Every one is well acquainted with these familiar birds, so that a general description of them is unnecessary. The four species most commonly seen in India are:
[166]. Turtur suratensis: The Spotted Dove. (F. 1307), (J. 795), (III.)
A reddish-grey bird. The sides of the neck are black with a number of small white spots. The two median pairs of tail feathers are brown, and the others black with white tips.
Its note is a plaintive cūkoo-coo-coo. Like the other three species of dove this species is widely distributed, but is very capricious in its distribution.
It is very common in Calcutta, Madras, Travancore, Tirhoot, and Lucknow, but does not occur at Lahore, Bombay, or in the Deccan.