204 



consignment, and the dealer informed me that it was the 

 onh^ female in the lot. She is of a dark-brown plumage 

 without any coloured wing coverts ; bill and feet dark 

 black-brown ; iris, blackish-brown. Of course this 

 proves nothing, and the presumption is that the Brit. 

 Museum Cat. is correct; she is a little smaller than 

 the male, they agree well together, and the male bird 

 looks very handsome when displaying his wings to her. 



These birds have been in ni}^ possession since the 

 early spring, and have been in my large outdoor 

 aviary (which contains about 60 birds, a mixed lot 

 of Parrakeets, large and small Finches, Buntings and 

 Grosbeaks) ; they have been amiable and well behaved 

 and have not harmed their smallest fellow captive ; 

 their one fault perhaps is an inordinate interest in the 

 interiors of nesting receptacles. From this cause I 

 have undoubtedly lost one or two interesting clutches 

 this season, but as I am not prepared to exclude my 

 old favourite the Yellow-bellied Liothrix (which is 

 quite as bad as any Cowbird in this respect) I saw no 

 reason why I should forego the pleasure of keeping 

 this interesting bird, and, strange to say, the Diamond 

 Doves, whose nests are indeed frail and small struc- 

 tures, have reared several broods and in most exposed 

 situations. 



In appearance the male is certainly a fine bird, 

 and so is his mate, for they are both upstanding and 

 reachy in carriage. Power of song he has none; the 

 only note I have heard him utter is a caw, somewhat 

 similar to that of the Rook, but pitched in a different 

 key, and a little more mellow. I have not found it 

 either unpleasant or monotonous. But when he 

 appears at his best is during the time he is showing 



