DESCRIPTION, DISTRIBUTION, HABITS 



Habits. — These doves are generally found in pairs, although 

 they are sometimes seen in large flocks. They feed on berries 

 and seeds of all kinds, and prove a great nuisance during the 

 planting season, as they devour the scattered grain. They 

 make a loud, pleasant cooing, which can be heard throughout 

 the summer months. During summer they grow very plump, 

 and are then sought after. Their nest is a very light, fragile 

 platform of sticks, usually placed in a tree or high bush. The 

 eggs, 2 in number and pure white in colour, are laid between 

 August and October. They are rounded ovals, and measure 

 about 1.2 bv 0.95. 



Cape Quail {Cotiir7iix africana). (Vol. II , p. 248.) 



Description. — Male in breeding plumage : above, general 

 colour reddish-brown, varying to black on rump and scapulars. 

 Many of the feathers have V-shaped cross bars of yellow, and 

 some with loniritudinal shafts of white, which form a distinct 

 white line along the centre of the head and neck. Primaries, 

 primary coverts, and secondaries blackish-brown, mottled with 

 buff. Lores and stripe over the eyes buffy-white. Cheeks 

 and sides of throat rufous. Black patch from the chin and 

 widening out on the throat. Chest pale rufous with white 

 shaft marks, passing to white on the abdomen and under tail 

 coverts. Sides of chest and flanks rich rufous with white and 

 black shafts. Iris light brown. Bill almost black. Legs pale 

 pink-yellow. 



Lengthy 7.0 ; wing, 3.85 ; tail, 1.60. 



The female has a pure white throat. Sides of head, neck, and 

 breast are also white, profusely spotted with black, tinged with 

 chestnut. 



Non-breeding plumage of male differs from the breeding 

 plumage in having no black patch on the throat. 



Distribution. — The Cape quail is found throughout South 

 Africa. It migrates to Nyassaland, other parts of Southern 

 Africa, Madagascar, Madeira, Azores. 



Habits. — The quail or kwartel is an irregular migrant. 



