70 Notes on the Pintail -Nonpareil. 



in a way very beautiful, but from an artistic point of view 

 they are not to be compared with the Pintail Nonpareil; the 

 Gouldian's colour areas are very bright and crude, looking 

 as if put on with a brush, without blending. The harmony 

 of the Pintail Nonpareil is perfect. Ought not the post mortem 

 examinations to help us to cater for these birds? Do they? 

 I have been given to understand the Pintail Nonpareil comes 

 from the same district as the Java Sparrow, and if this is so, 

 one would naturally expect them to be quite hardy. The Java 

 Sparrow, also called Eice Bird, will eat oats and Paddy rice 

 like the I'intail and there is also a strong similarity in 

 their shape, the Java having a fairly pointed tail, the head 

 and shape of beak being identical to that of the Pintail, of 

 course on a larger scale. When there is a strong light on 

 my Pintail Nonpareil there is a rosy bloom on the lower 

 part of the abdomen, similar to that on the Java Sparrow. 

 If this surmising is correct it seems to me one could naturally 

 conclude that the Pintail Nonpareil is also a Rice Bird or is 

 closely related to them and should l^e equally hardy. Has the 

 way these birds are imported anything to do with their short 

 lives. If so, this ought to be a matter between the bird 

 dealers and the actual catchers. As before mentioned, if 

 healthy when obtained, I consider these birds quite hardy, 

 but hope other aviculturists will give their experience for the 

 benefit of others. 



Birds of Gambia. 



By E. HoPKiNsoN, D.S.O., M.A., M.B. 



Continued from page 46. 



Turtur semitorquatus. HALF-COLLAEED DOVE. 

 Range. Ethiopian region generally. (H.L.) 

 The " Black Pigeons," as these birds are commonly called 

 here, are very plentiful everywhere from about February tc Novem- 

 ber, but during the other three montJis of the year they are 

 comparatively scarce. During the groundnut season they feed largely 

 on these nuts, which they swallow Avithout cracking the ghell,^ 

 — their gizzards, I suppose, dissolving what their comparatively weak 

 bills are unable to cope with. At other seasons they feed in the 

 corn and rice fields, and when nothing else is obtainable, on the 

 different berries and fruits of the bush. At the beginning of the 



