(1842) Ducula badia badia.
THE MALAYAN IMPERIAL PIGEON.
Columba badia Baffles, Trans, Linn. Soc, xiii, p. 317 (1822) (Sumatra).
Vernacular names. None recorded.
Description. Whole upper part of the head, nape, neck and shoulders a lilac- or vinous-grey, changing gradually into deep purple-chestnut or maroon on the mantle, scapulars, back, lesser and median wing-coverts ; lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts dark grey or ashy-grey, the back and rump suffused with the purple of the mantle ; tail ashy-black on the concealed base, then black for two-thirds its length, changing to brownish-grey on the terminal third; wing-quills black, changing to the colour of the back on the innermost secondaries; greater coverts brown, sometimes edged or tinged with maroon; throat white; sides of the head and neck ashy; breast and lower parts vinous ashy-grey, flanks and axillaries purer grey and the abdomen often tinged with reddish ; under tail-coverts buff; under aspect of tail grey with a broad subapical dark band.
Colours of soft parts. Iris ashy-grey ; bill dull purple at the base, light at the tip ; feet dull purple (Beccari).
Measurements. Wing 209 to 246 mm. (Robinson).
Distribution. Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, North to the South of Tenasserim and islands of the Mergui coast.
Nidification. Hopwood took an egg of this race South of Mergui on the 28th April from a frail stick nest about 25 feet up in a small tree in forest. This egg measures 47*0x34 mm. I can find no other record of its breeding but it certainly is not rare between 2,000 feet and 4,000 in the mountains of extreme South Tenasserim in the breeding-season.
Habits. A montane bird occurring from the lower hills up to some 5,000 feet and at certain seasons visiting some, or most, of the islands off the coast of South Tenasserim and the Malay Peninsula where they feed on the fruit of the various kinds of mangroves. At this time Robinson says that they are caught in great numbers by the natives with clap-nets, the bait used being fresh water. The same ornithologist notes that during the breeding-season they keep much to the higher ridges of the interior of the Malay Peninsula at about 4,000 feet. In voice, flight, etc., they closely resemble the other races of the species.