163 



margins, the breast is washed purplish, the harmony of colour- 

 ing being very soft and beautiful ; lores, rose-red; primaries 

 black, bordered with rich blue on the outer edges; tail purple; 

 beak blackish, with the base of upper mandible bluish ; legs 

 and feet brownish-grey. 



This species only requires to be more frequently imported 

 to become popular, but at present both price and scarcity stand in 

 the way. Perhaps, our esteemed member, Mr. Harper, who has 

 imported most, if not all, the specimens which have reached this 

 country during the past three years, and has kept this species in 

 British Guiana will kindly tell us all he can of its wild life, etc., 

 such notes would be of general interest and increase our know- 

 ledge of the life history of this charming but little known 

 species. 



Ht>iarv> JBirDs 3 have met in tbeiu natural State 



By Douglas Dbwar, F.Z.S., I.C.S. 

 {Continued from page 145). 



III. INDIAN DOVES. 



Seven species of Turtle Dove are found in India, of these 

 three are widely distributed and exceedingly numerous in all 

 localities in which they occur. They are the Spotted Dove 

 {Turttir su?-ate?isis~), the Little Brown Dove (T. cavibayensis) and 

 the Indian Ring-Dove (7". risorius). 



In nearly every part of India one of these three species 

 occurs and in most places two of them are found. 



The Spotted Dove (easily recognisable by its spotted 

 wings) is probably the most widely distributed, being the com- 

 monest dove in practically all parts of India where the climate 

 is humid, but it appears to dislike dry localities, and is in con- 

 sequence rarely, if ever, seen in the Punjab. In the drier parts 

 of India it is replaced by the pretty Little Brown Dove, a smaller 

 bird which has no spots on its plumage save a miniature black 

 and white chess-board on each side of the neck. The third 

 common species — the Indian Ring- or Collared-Dove — is found 

 all over India and seems equally at home in dry and damp 

 localities. It is distinguishable from the other two common 



