grey, with bronze reflections on the wings and neck, and the long, broad tail is prettily barred with white. When the bird alights on its perch it has a habit of slightly spreading and jerking up the tail, that is very curious. It is a ground-loving bird, and only resorts to the trees for sleeping purposes at night. In confinement, however, the Crested Dove’s habits vary a good deal, and it passes much of its time dozing side by side with its mate on a branch.
The female bears a close resemblance to the male, but is decidedly smaller, and has a finer head and thinner neck. These birds breed freely in confinement, and I have known of one pair from which seventeen young were obtained in one season by giving their eggs to Collared Turtles to be hatched.
THE BLOOD-BREASTED PIGEON, Phlogœnas cruentata, is another fine species. It is a native of the Philippine Islands, and succeeds very well in confinement. Its English name is derived from a curious red spot on the centre of its white breast, which gives one the impression that the bird has just been stabbed, and that the mark in question is a stain of blood. It is a short, thick bird, about the size of a small Tumbler Pigeon.
THE INDIAN GREEN-WINGED PIGEON, Chalcophaps indica (illustrated at Fig. 5), is a very desirable bird, rather smaller than the last-named, but equally plump and compact in form. As its name implies, it is a native of our Indian Empire, where it is sufficiently common, but so hardy that it will pass the winter out-of-doors in this country without inconvenience. The breast is a delicate rosy or vinaceous tint, and the back and wings shine with metallic reflections. The female is smaller than her mate, and much duller in appearance. These pigeons have bred in confinement. Feed on any kind of small corn.
FIG. 5. THE INDIAN GREEN-WINGED PIGEON.
THE AUSTRALIAN GREEN-WINGED PIGEON, Chalcophaps chrysochlora, is readily distinguishable from the preceding species by its larger size and by a white mark above the bill; it is also quite hardy, and no doubt would breed in a suitable aviary, but it is not very frequently imported, and is consequently dear. It is a native of Northern Australia, and, like the preceding species, may be fed on any kind of small corn: those I had were especially fond of the round yellow maize.
THE BRONZE-SPOTTED DOVE, Chalcopelia chalcospilos (illustrated at Fig. 6), is a pretty, plump little thing, about the size of a quail. It is a native of Western Africa, and has occasionally bred in the aviary. Some that I had nested, but I found no eggs, and suspect the birds were all cocks, as the sexes are alike in outward appearance. Feed on white millet and canary-seed.
FIG. 6. THE BRONZE-SPOTTED DOVE.
THE TAMBOURINE PIGEON, Tympanistria bicolor (illustrated at Fig. 7), is another little African Dove that derives its name from the peculiar note it utters, which is thought by some to resemble the sound made by tapping with the point of the finger on a tambourine, but which is really more like that of water being poured from a narrow-necked bottle. The male is of a beautiful dark chocolate colour on the back and wings, and snowy white on the neck, breast, and belly. The female is generally like her mate, but is smaller, and her white breast is flecked with grey. Those I had nested in my aviary on the top of a small cage, but did not lay. This and the preceding species are decidedly tender, and must be taken indoors during cold weather, which seems to paralyse them, and soon throws them into a decline.
FIG. 7. THE TAMBOURINE PIGEON.
THE JAVA DOVE, Turtur risorius, var. alba, is merely a white variety of the common Collared Dove, which so many people will, erroneously, persist in calling Ring-dove: it usually breeds true to colour, and will live outdoors all the year round.
THE EGYPTIAN TURTLE DOVE, Turtur vinaceus, is a fine, handsome bird, about half as large again as the preceding species, with which it will inter-breed and produce hybrids, which usually resemble the male bird, whose breast is ruddy fawn, back light chocolate, and top of head bluish. Feed on any kind of poultry mixture: it is quite hardy.
The following desirable species, of which space will not permit me to give a description, have all bred in the London Zoological Gardens, viz., THE WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON, Columba leucocephala, from the West Indies; THE PORTO RICO PIGEON, C. corensis, THE PICAZURO PIGEON, C. picazuro, and the BARE-EYED PIGEON, C. gymnophthalma—all West Indian species; and MAUGE’S DOVE, Geopelia Maugæi, which is a native of Australia.
The Turtles, including our common British species, Turtur communis, have all bred freely in the Gardens, and some of them in my own aviary. They are very handsome birds, but decidedly pugnacious, and require an aviary, or at least a compartment in the aviary, to themselves.
The genus Peristera, of which GEOFFROY’S DOVE is a well-known species, contains other hardy and beautiful birds, some of which are free breeders.
I can only name THE CROWNED and THE NICOBAR PIGEONS, the giants of their race, both in every way worthy of the attention of amateurs.
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