84 Captain G. E. Shelley's Three Months 



abundant near springs, where its loud call-note may he con- 

 stantly heard. 



12(5. Peristeka LARVATA (Temm.). Rufous- breasted Wood- 

 Dove. 



Very common in the tliick bush about Durban, where its 

 brown colouring renders it hard to detect as it sits motion- 

 less on the low creepers in the darker parts of the forest. 

 When disturbed it flies rapidly, but for only a short distance ; 

 and I did not observe it at other times on the wing, as it 

 never appears in the open. On the 11th of April I found 

 two of their nests, placed about four feet from the ground, in 

 the low creepers close to the same path, and nearly opposite 

 to each other. The nests were similar to those of Turtur 

 auritus ; each contained two eggs nearly ready to hatch. 

 Beak black ; irides dark lilac ; space round the eye and eyelids 

 red, with the central portion above and below the eye grey ; 

 legs red. 



127. Peristera tympanistria (Temm.). White-breasted 

 Wood-Dove. 



Very plentiful about Durban. Entire length in the flesh 

 7'8 inches. Beak deep lilac, tipped with horn-colour; irides 

 very dark brown ; eyelids deep lilac ; bare space round the 

 eye dark slate-colour ; legs lilac-red. 



128. Peristera chalcospila (Wagl.). Emerald-spotted 

 Wood-Dove. 



Common about Durban and Pinetow^n. I cannot agree 

 with those authors who unite this species with P. afra, the 

 latter bird having the spots on the wing steel-blue ; for in the 

 many specimens of P. afra Mr. T. E. Buckley and myself 

 shot in Fantee, not one had any shade of green on these spots, 

 while those which I have killed in S. Africa have the spots 

 uniform metallic green. Length in the flesh 7*9 to 7*4 inches. 

 Beak deep purple horn-colour ; irides very dark brown ; bare 

 space round the eyes slate-colour ; legs deep lilac. 



129. Francolinusafer (Miill.). South-African Francolin. 

 I found this species fairly plentiful, either singly or in 



