234 Correspondence. 



" interesting and lively time until you get rid of them, so I pity the poor 

 " little bird who gets one en it. — F. Kirby, F. Z.S.I." 



I wonder if British birds are ever attacked ? 

 ■Tavant: Odtoher 6th. 1922. (The Marquis of) TAVISTOCK. 



Nesting of the Cape Turtle Dove (Turtiir capicola.) 



My fellow member Mr. Guy Falkner wrote me in the 

 late summer of 1921 if T would accept a pair of this species; he 

 liad brought a few back with him when he returned from Africa, 

 which at the time were on deposit at the London Zoo (I believe 

 they have since been presented to the Zoological Society), and 

 as I had never kept this species previously, I accepted his offer 

 with much pleasure. They duly arrived, in the late autumn of 

 last year, I think, and I became quite interested in them. 

 On arrival I put them into my large aviary, where they passed 

 the winter without mishap. 



In appearance they are very like the common Barbary 

 Turtle Dove {T . risorius), but are much greyer in tone, and of 

 slightly more slender build. As I find it difficult to get them 

 sufficiently near to make a close description of their plumage I 

 am quoting same from the British Museum Catalogue. 



" Adult male. — Pileum leaden grey, lighter on the forehead, and 

 " shadint- into vinous-grey on the sides of the head, neck and chest, 

 " anterior part of the cheeks and throat grey; ;i l)Iack line on the lores, 

 " not always well defined; on the hind neck a broad black collar, partly 

 "edged above and below with grey; back, inner upper wing-coverts, 

 "innermost secondaries, and scapulars grey-brown; passing into leaden 

 "grey on outer upper wing-coverts; lower back and rump grey-brown 

 "along the middle, leaden grey on the sides; upper tail-coverts grey- 

 " brown ; middle of abdomen buffy white; under tail coverts white; 

 " primary-coverts and quills blackish, with pale narrow edges; under wing- 

 " coverts leaden grey; central tail feathers brown-grey; the lateral ones 

 " black on the basal half ; the terminal half it white on the outer feathers. 

 " grev on the innei ones; tail underneath black on the basal half, white 

 " on the tcrnn'nal one, the outer feathers have the outer web white ; ' iris 

 "brown, bill black; legs pinkish-red." Total length 10.5 inches, wing 6, 

 " tail 4.6 bill 0.55, tarsus 0.85." 



" Female. — Similar to the male." 



" Yovng. — Duller and with pale edges to the feathers of the upper 

 " parts." 



" Habitat. — Cape Colony, extending into Natal and Southern 

 " Transvaal." 



Brit. Mns. Cat. Vo! 21., pp 425-6 

 To be continued. 



