282 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY . 



travellers do not appear to have described the nidifica- 

 tion of this Dove, it would be aJl the more interesting 

 to breed it in captivity. 



With this species ive come to the 'end of those sub- 

 families regarded as neaa-est to the Turtle-doves, 

 although, as I have already slated, Leptoptila not only 

 has a gener.al look of some of them, but takes more 

 notice of them it-self than of other Doves (as though 

 itself claiming some kinship). On the other hand, the 

 Phahinie, -which Count Salvadori places next in his 

 classification, strike one as utterly dissimilar from the 

 Perifterince, unless it be simply on accoimt of the more 

 or less metallic spots on the wings. Personally I should 

 have felt happie^r if the Pliahinrr had been placed be- 

 tween the Gentri/qoninnr and Crilrenndivir. 



CHArTER XIX. 



BRONZE=WINGED PIGEONS 

 (Sub=family Phabinae). 



These are somewhat stoutly built Doves, with spots 

 and patches on the wings, which are generally moi'e or 

 less metallic ; but it is not clear from Salvadori's cata- 

 logue how they are stnictm-ally distinguished from other 

 sub-fiimilies of the Peruteridx. They are all Old 

 World types, but differ from one another considerably in 

 their bulk, plumage, notes, and disposition. The 

 smallest forms feed chiefly on millet, or millet and dari, 

 the larger ones on millet, dari, hemp, smooth cater- 

 pillairs, insects, and earthworms : the largest will also 

 accept wheat and maize, though they do very well 

 without it. 



Harlequin or Cape Dove (CEna capensis). 



The adult male has the anterior half of the head, in- 

 cluding the chin, throat, and centre of breast in front, 

 covered by a black mask bordered behind by a diffused 

 white b.and ; remainder of body .above and two central 

 tail-feathers olivaceous brown, the outer tail-coverts and 

 these tail-feathers tipped with black; two black belts, 

 with a broad pale sandy greyish belt between them 

 across the rump ; the hiteral tail-feather.s bluish ash 

 with a broad subterminal black belt ; the two outside 

 feathers with the outer web, from the base to the belt, 

 pure white ; wing-coverts whitish ash, tlie scapularies 

 indistinctly barred with olive-brownish ; the inner- 

 coverts with large blue-blaek patches ; primaries bright 

 mahogany-red with the greater pai't of the outer webs 

 and the tips black ; secondaries pearl-grey, dusky inter- 

 nally, the innermost feathers sandy brown ; breast and 

 abilomen white ; under tail-coverts blackish towards the 

 centre ; pa'imary coverts and primaries below mahogany- 

 red, tipped and partly bordered with black, secondaries 

 and tail below mostly black, the two outside tail feathers 

 with a white outer stripe as above, feet deep flesh red, 

 bill crimson towards the base, orange towards the tip ; 

 iris, cliestnut-brown. 



The female differs from the male in having the facial 

 nia*k almost white ; the ear-coverts, sides, and front 

 of neck and crop paJe a.«hy brown. 



The young nearly resemble the female, but the crown 

 and neck are banded with blackish ; the wing-coverts 

 are trreyish-brown, banded with blackish and with buff- 

 whitish terminal spots, feet deep purplish, bill black. 



Hab.. Tropical and Southern Africa, Madagascar, also 

 near Jeddah iind Aden, in Arabia. 



This is a strange-looking bird, the head, when viewed 

 in profile, being alma^t square, or, as only the two 

 upper angles are distinguishable, perhaps one ought to 

 sa^ that the crown is flattish and truncated. 



In Northern Africa this confiding little bird is met 

 with, not only on wooded steppes, but round farm build- 

 ings, hedges, and gardens. It nests from June to. 

 September, when it is seen in pairs, but at other times 

 in small flocks. The nest is placed in palms. Parkin- 

 sonias, and acacias, being formed of a few dry twigs. 

 Durintr the breeding season the males are quarrelsome. 



The flight of this Dove is rather weak and undulating, 

 but graceful. In its wild state it spends much of its- 

 time on the earth, but in captivity it sits nearly all day 

 stupidly upon a branch, only flying down at regular 

 times to feed. The cry sounds like Jlooroo-roo, the tail' 

 being spread and jerked upwards at the same time. 



Messrs. Stark and Sclater (" Birds of South Africa," 

 Vol. IV., p. 177) says : — " The Namaqua Dove is a most 

 abundant and familiar bird in the interior of the 

 country, and is generally to be seen: in. the neighbour- 



Head of C.\pe Dove. 



hnod of farmhouses, probably because food and water 

 are to be found in the vicinity. ■ 



" From the dates of collection it appears to be prob- 

 able that this Dove is only a summer migrant to the 

 greater part of the country, though app.irently resident 

 ill German territory and the Western Transvaal. It is 

 a purely ground-feeding bird and runs veiw rapidly, so 

 that it was frequently nristaken by Layard for a rat ! 

 It feeds entirely on grain and gxass seeds, and has a 

 deep plaintive ' coo.' The males will cocjuet with any 

 female they meet, and are described .by Layard as very 

 salacious. The nest is usually placed in a mimosa, not 

 verv high above the groimd. sometimes, however, on the 

 ground or in a hole. It is the usual carelessly built 

 loose platform of the Family, made of sticks and fibrous 

 roots. The clutch eon.sists of two oval eggs equiilly 

 roimded at both ends. These are white, rosy tinted 

 when fresh, owing to the yolk shining through the fine 

 smooth shell. When blown they have a slight greenish 

 tinge. They measure .08 x .60." 



The Cape Dove is irregularly but somewhat abun- 

 dantly imported ; only, unfortimately, very few females 

 .<^eem to be sent home, so that I have never been able to 

 obtain that sex. 



I purchased two cocks in 1895, one of which died the 

 following year. When too weak to stand it rolled ovei- 

 on its back, and my Zebr.a Finches had plucked all the 

 feathers from its under parts when I discovered it. The 

 second bird died early in 1897, so that I only had Insro 



