Expedition to the White Nile. 267 



Pigeons were a great nuisance to us while collecting, as 

 almost every tree contained them, and their sudden noisy 

 exit when we approached often disturbed rarer game. The 

 note of this species is generally prefaced by a harsh " cowoo," 

 a vulgar drawn-out sound, followed by a soft and pleasing 

 "hoo/' repeated an indefinite number of times. 



On April 24tli, near Shebesha, I found a bird of this 

 species sitting on two incubated eggs in a nest made of 

 some 20 sticks, placed low down in a cactus plant growing 

 upon a small acacia. It was the only nest of this species 

 seen. 



Adult. Iris dark yellow; bill black; legs and feet purplish 

 red. 



79. TuRTUR RosEOGRisEUS (Suudev.). 



This species was perhaps not quite so abundant as the 

 preceding. Its light colour and smaller size make it very easy 

 to distinguish. In habits it is very similar to T. ambiguus. 



Adult. Iris bright red ; bill black ; legs and feet purplish 

 red. 



80. TuRTUR SENEGALENsis (Linn.). 



Also very common, but not so numerous as the preceding 

 species. We did not observe it north of Jebel Auli. 



Young birds only just able to fly were obtained on several 

 occasions, but no nests were found. 



Adult. Iris hazel ; bill black ; legs and feet purplish. 



81. Chalcopelia afra (Linn.). 



A single bird shot at our most southern camp on March 

 30th was the only specimen observed. 



Adult. Iris dark brown ; bill, legs, and feet black. 



82. Q^NA capensis (Linn,). 



This species was, without doubt, the most evenly dis- 

 tributed of any. It was everywhere common from Kawa 

 to Khartum. It is more often found on the ground and 

 in low bushes than in trees. The shrubs near the river 

 were often full of these birds, sitting in rows doing nothing. 



