21-i Ml*. J. H.Gurney's List of a Collection of Birds 



These fine birds arc not to be found here all the year round, 

 but come by thousands in the month of June, leaving again in 

 August ; they keep to the bush along the coast, only a few 

 stragglers being found a few miles inland ; they feed entirely 

 on the berries which abound on the trees in the bush during the 

 winter months, and are generally in good condition, and are the 

 finest eating of all the Pigeons. The male specimen now sent 

 weighed 17 oz. (the average weight of a number of these birds is 

 16 oz.). I have never seen them alight on the ground; they 

 are shot here by hundreds, and afford our D'Urban sportsmen 

 capital sport. 



101. CoLUMBA TRiGONiGERA, Wagl. Roussard Pigeon. 



[Mr. Ayres does not mention the habits of this Pigeon. — 

 J.H.G.] 



103. TuRTUR SEMiTORQUATus, Swaius. Half-collarcd Turtle. 



Female. Legs dark red. 



These Doves ai'c generally to be found in pairs, though I 

 sometimes see half a dozen of them feeding together in the same 

 field; they prefer cultivated ground, and are especially fond of 

 buck-wheat ; they are tame, and easily shot, as are most of the 

 Doves and Pigeons here. These Doves build in the thick fork 

 of a tree : the nest consists of a few twigs put so loosely together 

 that it is a wonder that the young ones, of which they rear two, 

 do not fall out. 



[Mr. G. R. Gray, to whose kindness I am indebted for the 

 identification of several species in this list, writes to me respecting 

 the specimen of this Dove forwarded by Mr. Ayres as follows : — 

 " It is very like Turtur semitorquatus of Swainson (Bonaparte's 

 Conspectus, vol. ii. p. 64) ; and though it is smaller and rather 

 richer in colour than any of the specimens of that species in the 

 British Museum, yet I still consider it to belong to that species." 

 —J. H. G.] 



103. Peristera TYMPANisTRiA, Temm. Tambourin Pigeon. 

 Builds in the thick fork of a low tree ; a few coarse twigs 



compose the nest. 



104. Francolinus natalensiS, Smith. Natal Francohn. 

 Male and female. Eye dark brown ; legs and feet red. 



