50 Some Doves / Have Kept. 



AURITA AND Zenaida Do\ es {Zeua.'da aiirita and 

 Z. amab'dis) . Two pretty Do\cs from the West Indies. I 

 have not had true pairs of either of these species, but in 

 1 91 3 a cock Aurita mated with a lien amabilis and twio 

 pairs of young ones were rearcHl. Tliese birds are very much 

 alike and must be very closely related: 1 think that it is 

 likely that the young hybrids would be fertile. 



White-winged Dove {Melopelvi leucopiera). This 

 is another closely allied West Indian species. I do not con- 

 sider it so attractive as either of the other Western Doves. 

 I have had four or five specimens. They made no attempt to 

 nest but I am inclined to think I had not true pairs. 



Senegal Dove \Turtur seiiegalensis). The Palm 

 Dove is a common bird, amongst aviculturists, and it breeds 

 very freely in captivity. It is about the same size; as the three 

 preceding species. With me it has never bred, as all my cocks 

 have turned out to be hens. T have, however, bred a number 

 of very p retty hybrids from one of these hens, mated with a 

 Necklace cock. In size the young hybrids equal the Senegal, 

 which they also resemble in general colour, but they have the 

 very handsome spotted collar of their male parent. I shall 

 try this season to get them to interbreed. It will be interes- 

 ing to see if hybrids from birds coming from such widely 

 separated countries should prove to be fertile. 



Necklace Dove {Turtiir tigrinus). These are a Bur- 

 mese variety, and are larger and more handsome than any of 

 those I jiave already mentioned. I hla.va often w'ondered why 

 they are not more popular with aviculturalists. It may be 

 due to their somewhat quarrelsome disposition, which makes 

 it unsafe to keep any of the smaller Columbidae in the same 

 aviary with them. In a well- planted aviary they look strik- 

 ingly handsome, with their wide collars of black and white 

 spots, showing up against the greenery. Moreover they are 

 good breeders, and one may expect to raise four or five 

 lots of young ones every season from one pair of adults. It 

 is advisable, however,' to separate the sexes in October or 

 November, as if left together the hens are apt to die of egg- 

 binding. 



{Jo be conelmled). 



