Some Doves / Have Kepi. ^^^ 



to disturb tlio small birtls in tho ;iviar\ . 1 disposed of them 

 after one season. I believe that these birds have bred freely 

 in this country in a wild state 



Violet Do\k {Lcptoptila jamaicensis) . Another very 

 striking looking pigeon, not very fre(|uently im]>orted. Habitat 

 West Indies. 1 found them ver)- fi?e brt-eders, but they 

 had the bad habit, eonuuon to some pigeons of leaving their 

 yount2 brfore tl^ey could properly cater for themselves. The 

 few young onr-;, f fully rrared kept in their nest until they 

 were string on the wing. Those that I'^ft the nest, before 

 they could properly fly all died, attt'iupts to hand rear them 

 proving unsucecs ful. 1 think that this bird in a wild state 

 consumes a good deal of lixc food. My birds were \-ery fond 

 of garden worms, and would also lake mealwoiins freely. 

 They spent much of thcii- time upon tiie ground and were 

 very active. 



\\ HiTF-CK(>v,\i i' I'liii-.i^N (C.olunibri I encore pliahi ) . 

 Another fine biril fiom the West Indies. HtMng black 

 with a while head, it contrasts very strongly with any of th.o 

 doves and pigeons usually ke])t l)y our members. Aly pair of 

 of these birds were intolerably wild, and were the oidy species 

 of the Cojiiinhidae w ith whit h 1 lia\e had any trouble in this 

 respect. When anyone entered their enclosure, they would 

 dash themsehes against the wire in the most stupid manner, 

 and as they vvould soon ha\-e made, the other occupants of their 

 aviary as wild as themselves 1 was very glad to accept some 

 other birds in exchange. They have been bred at the Zoo, 

 but I do not think thai man)- amateurs ha\'e succeeded with 

 them, 



Bleeding Heart Dovk {Plilogoetias luzou'ica). A well 

 known and very pretty pigeon. I have had three or four ex- 

 amples, but think that tlic)- must have all been of ihe same 

 sex as they made no attempt to nest. \\'hether they were all 

 cocks or all hens I have not the least idea. One would natur- 

 ally think that if they had all been of the female sex, one 

 or mor'. woidd have laid eggs, during rhe two years that 1 

 kept them. On the other hand, if they were all males, one 

 would have expected to hud them quarrelling occasionally and 



