A FES. 121 



273. Turtur risorius. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 2S5.) Collared 

 Turtle Dove. 



No birds better illustrate the geographical position of Palestine than 

 the Turtle Doves. Here we find three species, one European, one 

 Ethiopian, and one Indian (the present one) all meeting together. Of 

 these the European, T. comnumis, is by far the most abundant, but only 

 in spring and summer. T. senegaknsis, on the contrary, the Ethiopian, 

 is a permanent resident, not increasing its numbers by immigration, con- 

 fined chiefly to the neighbourhood of the Dead Sea and the Lower Jordan, 

 but residing throughout the year in the court-yards of houses in Jerusalem 

 and the Temple Area, where, from its tame and confiding habits, it 

 appears to be semi-domesticated. The present species, the Indian Collared 

 Turtle, perhaps the handsomest as well as the largest of the group, is 

 also a permanent resident round the Dead Sea, but in winter only in small 

 numbers, very shy and wary. In spring its numbers are largely increased, 

 and it spreads itself through the greater part of the country up to Galilee, 

 and breeds everywhere, in trees and bushes, usually in small colonies of 

 eight or ten together. 



T. risorius has been obtained at Constantinople, but with this ex- 

 ception is a stricdy Asiatic form, extending over the whole of Southern 

 Asia. 



274. Titrtur senegalcnsis. (Linn. Syst. Nat. i., p. 283.) Palm 

 Turde Dove. 



As stated above, this species is permanently resident in the warm 

 nooks of the Jordan valley, round the Dead Sea, and about Jerusalem 

 and Gaza. It never there migrates, and in summer is the least abundant 

 of the three species. 



The Palm Turtle Dove inhabits the whole of Africa, except the 

 Barbary States, north of the Atlas. It especially affects palm groves. 

 The Indian and Asiatic .orm, Tni tur cambaycnsjs, is, I consider, clearly 

 separable. 



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