Sitcccsslnl Hrcvdiiig ol the W liitc-brcasicd Duvc. 243 



wanted a look at her family. She got nervous and dashed off 

 wildly, and simultaneously out flopped first one and then the 

 other of the two young" birds. It was a cold, damp evening, 

 so I thought I would try and put them back in the nest — I had 

 tried this on several occasions with the young" of other species 

 of doves, but always found them jump out again — but had very 

 slig"ht hopes they would remain in the nest ; however, this time 

 1 g'ot both of them and put them in tog"ether, keeping" my hand 

 over for a little time, then taking" it away quickly when I saw 

 the hen coming" back. I slipped away, and the hen came right 

 on to the nest and settled down for the night previous to this 

 one youngster came very near to disaster, for, when they were 

 about four days old, the cock bird, in or.e of his wild rushes, 

 drag'ged one of them out of the nest; fortunately it was found 

 and returned to the nest in time. After the former episode 

 the young" remained two more days in the nest, althoug"h one 

 of them was well able to g"et about when T disturbed them ; the 

 younger one is less fully feathered. 



After leaving the nest I never saw a sig'n of them for a 

 full week, then I found one, and a few days later saw the other, 

 but it was days later still before the parent birds brought them 

 into the bird-house, where the birds are fed. 



i\'ow ((Jctoljei 23.) tlicy coirc regularly, and I have seen 

 tliem feeding" on several occasions They are rather unusual 

 looking" birds, being" smoky-black all over, except for a slightly 

 grey shade on face and breast. There is hardly a trace of the 

 beautiful purphsh sheen of the old birds, and no white markings. 

 Their beaks are light horn-colour, but quickly beginning to turn 

 darker. What I take to be the young hen is a little lighter in 

 colour and a little greyer on face and breast than the other one. 

 which, I presume, is a cock, also at present a little smaller. 



Although my birds spend very little time on the ground, 

 I think they have a very decided look of the Bleeding" Heart 

 Pigeon. The only sound I have heard them make is a very 

 'unmusical grunt. The cock made this noise continually when 

 tlriving the hen to nest. 



They still go about with their two young, which are 

 very wild, and have evidently tinished all breeding operations 

 for this season. 



