Som^ Colony Birds. 15H 



breast, head, and neck are centred with dull black giving the 

 bird a speckled or scaly appearance. Th<ire are spots of 

 purple-black upon the wings in irregular lines; the under- 

 wings are red, the primaries also are red, edged and tipped 

 with black; the under-feathers of the' tail are also of this 

 colour. There is a rim of minute feathers around the eye in 

 lieu of eye-lashes. The hen is duller and smaller but is 

 otherwise marked the same. 



The bird is coimiion in country districts and may be 

 seen in open places, bustling about in, a business-like manner 

 in search of small seeds, and holding its tail at an ascending 

 angle to keep it out of the way. Besides cooing, as all Doves 

 do, it ha3 a curious note when alarmed like a tiny bark of a 

 dog, '■ whuh-wluih-whuh.' 



The Tiny Ground-Dove. There is another fJove a 

 little smaller still, Chaniaepelia ininuta or grlseola, that is 

 bluish. It is much like the Speckled Dove but has no speckled 

 breast. The breast is pinkish blue, fading into white on 

 throat and vent. The cheeks also are whitish, the crown of 

 the head, nape, and shoulders bluish; as also the upper tail 

 coverts. The back and wings are pinkish brown, and on the 

 wings are a few purple jottings. The tail is grey tipped 

 with darker colour; the under-wings are red; the primaries 

 are red, but light brown on the outer edges and ends of the 

 feathers. The hen is light brown generally with lighter 

 breast and vent ; the feathers of the back are edged with 

 lighter colour; the bastard wing is red and there are a few 

 black jottings on the wings.. These three species live to- 

 gether peaceably in a cage, fccdiny and roosting together as 

 if they recognized their near affinity. Their nests may often 

 be found in low trees near human habitations, or even upon 

 the creepej tha' grows on the wall. I'hey will nest in ca[)- 

 tivity imder favourable conditions. 



The Com.mon Thrush. One may wake u|) m Deni- 

 crara and fancy oneself back in England aroused by the 

 familiar notes of a Thrush. A few minutes of drowsy atten- 

 tion, however, will be sufficient to dispel the illusion. The 

 song is not so well sustained as that oi the home bird; thero 

 are lazy intervals between every few noti's, and there is not 



