222 



ill colour ; (Z*) T. vinaceiis, a rather smaller bird, like 

 the Eiigiish Turtle-Dove, but with a more brightl}'- 

 coloured plumage ; {c) Chakopelia afra, the Rufous- 

 winged or Emerald Dove, a dull chocolate-coloured 

 small dove, with bright brown under surfaces to its 

 wings, which, with a partridge-like whirr as it rises, 

 are its most characteristic features. The name 

 " Emerald Dove " is a bad one (though no doubt a 

 taking name in an advertisement), and should be 

 dropped, as it is based on the presence of a small spot 

 of metallic dark green (or in our birds more common- 

 ly dark blue) on the upper surface of each wing, 

 which by no means can be made to suggest an 

 emerald or its colour, and which is also so little 

 conspicuous as to be hardly visible, even at a few 

 yards distance. The epithet " Rufous-winged " on 

 the other hand exactly describes the bird's most 

 salient characteristic, (d) The fourth is the well- 

 known Cape Dove {^CEna capeiisis), which, though not 

 so common as the first three, is found all over the 

 Protectorate, and is generally met with in pairs, not 

 in flocks or smaller parties like the other doves. 



PARROTS. Three species are known from the 

 Gambia, (i) Paltroniis docilis, the Rose-ringed Parra- 

 keet, (2) Pccoccphahis scnegalus, the Senegal Parrot, 

 and (3) the larger and huge - beaked Poeocephahis 

 ? jobustiis. I have nothing to add to what I ha^-e said 

 before about the first two, but must correct a good 

 deal of my account of the third species. I find from 

 further experience that they are common all over the 

 Protectorate, on the South bank as well as the North, 

 and that they do not leave the country at the breed- 

 ing season, but retire to the mangrove belt along the 

 tidal portion of the river to breed in holes in these 

 trees, and as they seem to remain almost entirely 

 among them and feed their young on the fruit or 

 seeds of these trees, or at any rate on something they 



