■2S6 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



proper clutclies ; A (1) 1.12 x -87, (2J 1.05 x -84; 

 B (1) 1.11 X -85, (2) 1.08 X .87.' 



\ freely, but irregularly, imported species, of which 

 I purcha^ a p;.ii- in December, 1896. I found them 

 sincrularlv :ipathetic as a general rule, though occasion- 

 .allv the male would attack my pair of Australian Bronze- 

 wiiue^l Piceons. Thev never showed the least inclina- 

 tioirto bre°ed while kept in an indoor aviary, although 

 the hen would eometimes lay an egg on the grou^id, 

 where il usually got broken unless already cracked when 

 dropped. At length fhe lot-t the -use of one of her wings, 

 and 1 believe I o-ave her to Mr. Newman, in whose aviary 

 she recovered. "l replaced her by a second female, and 

 on March 6th 1906. tke pair built in a shaUow box, 

 the male "onot'antlv driving about the cock Bronzewing 

 IPicreoii However." nothing came of this attempt. On 

 Mav 9th. 1907, I turned the pair into my larger garden 

 aviary The cock occasionally rocked with a curious 

 •pitching motion on a perch and boomed at the hen. but 

 throuo-hout the year thev never bred, and during the 

 winter the hen succumbed to the cold and wet, and I 

 found her bedraggled, muddy, and dead on the flooT of 

 the aviary. I brought the cock bird indoors again late 

 in the following autumn, and on March 13th, 1909, he 

 .died, having been in my possession twelve years and 

 four months. „ ^ ■ 



This Dove was first purchased by the London Zoologi- 

 cal Society in 1861, and others have been added to the 

 Regent's Park collection from time to time. Ruse eays 

 that Bode, of Leipzig, imported several examples in 

 1885. Mr. Seth-Smith was successful in breeding it in 

 his aviaries in 1906. 



Indian- Ghken-winged Dovi: (Chalcoxihaps indica). 



In the adult male the forehead and eyebrow streak 

 .ai-e white, shading into bluieh-leaden on the crown and 

 nape; bill coral-red with dusky cere; feet dull purplieh- 

 crim'son ; orbit livid flesliy ; iris dai'k brown ; otherwise 

 -very similar to the preceding species. 



The female has til© forehead dull grey and' tlie eye- 

 brow stripe narrower; the crown, nape, and upper 'iack 

 brown ; under surface reddish-brown finely speckled 

 with grey ; bend of wing bix>wn ; four central tail- 

 feathers hrownifih-hlack, two next with a chestnut tinge 

 towards the base ; outer feathers grey with black eu'j- 

 tenninal belt. 



The young is said to be dusky brown above, with 

 little green, and barred below. Hab., India and Ceylon, 

 tha-ough Burmah and South China, through Malaysia 

 to Western New Guinea and the islands in Geelvink 

 Bay. 



Jerdon observes {"Birds of India," Vol. II., p. 485) : 

 " This beautiful Ground-Dove is found throughout Lidia, 

 in forest countries, occasionally in well-wooded districts, 

 as in lower Bengal, extending to Assam and all the 

 countries on the east of the Bay of Bengal, as far as, 

 at all events, Tenasserim. It is very partial to bamboo 

 jungle, and occurs from the level of the sea up to 

 3,000ft., or perhaps higher. It feeds mostly on the 

 ground, often on roads in forests and bare spots under 

 trees, walking along with a rapid motion, and allowing 

 a raodei-ately near approach. Its flight is very rapid. 

 It is generally seen alone. Its voice is a plaintive moan, 

 or ' lowing coo,' as Layard calls it. Its eggs are said 

 by Layard to be pale yeHowi&h drab-colour, but Blyth 

 says that they are merely of a less pure white than 

 those of ordinai-y Pigeons or Doves. It soon becomes 



reconciled to confinement, and caged birds are usually 

 for .sale in Calcutta." 



Colonel Legge says (" Bii'ds of Ceylon," Vol. II., p. 

 717) : •' In the Western Province I have shot the ' Beetle- 

 wiiio- ' in a state of breeding in June, but I have taken 

 its eggs in the Kurunegala district in February, so that 

 it probably breeds at no regular period, and very likely 

 has more broods than, one in the year. The nest I found 

 was near Dyatm-a, built at the extremity of the lateral 

 ■branch of a" small tree at about 6ft. from the ground. 

 It was made of small sticks, and slightly more cup- 

 shajwd than that of a true Dove (Turftir). It contained 

 two eggs, regular ovals in shape, and of a warnij buff 

 or cream colour," 



" Mr. Hume describes the nests as more regular eaucers 

 than those of the Doves, compo-sed of Tools, grass, or 

 twigs, but comparatively neat and devoid of lining, with 

 a decided central depression. It breeds in India from 

 February till July. The eggs are said by this gentleman 

 to vary from creamy white to white, and to ineaeui'e 

 from 1.0 to l.lin. in length by from- 0.82 to 0.86in, in 

 breadth." 



The Malays are said' to give the name of " Fool 

 Pigeon " to this bird on account of the ease with which 

 they capture it. Concealing theanselves behind an arbour 

 of branches in a clearing, they scatter rice around, and 

 the birds crowd round in such numbers and with so little 

 su.'!i)icion that they are seized one after the other by 

 hand and drawn into the arbour, the remaining Doves 

 being too much absorbed to notice the disappearance of 

 their comrades. On the other hand, in Upper Assam 

 this bird is described as being shy. 



Nunvbere of indiriduals of this species are sold in the 

 Calcutta mairket; and, from time to time, consignments 

 reach the London dealers. In 1898 or 1899 I had am 

 opportunity of purchasing examples, but they were in 

 very rough condition, and as I already possessed the 

 nearly related Australian species I did not care to eeciu-e 

 doubtfully healthy representatives of the' Indian one. 



The London Zoological Society first received this Dove 

 in 1356, and has had numerous .specimens of both sexes 

 .since that date, 'but, up to 1895, apj>ear6 never to have 

 succeeded in breeding it; but Dr. Russ bred it freely 

 in his bird-room, the nest being formed in a wire cage 

 hanging high up; ili-. Seth-Smitli also bi'ed it in his 

 aviaries in 1904 and 1905. 



C'hkistm-^s Island Gbeen-winged Dove 

 (C'halcojyhaps nalalk). 



The male closely resembles that sex of C. indica^ but 

 the female has the neck, upper back, and breast coffee- 

 coloured (■■ rufous-cinnamon " — Salvadori) ; the upper 

 tail-coverts and central tail-feathers piu'e cinnamon; and 

 the under tail-coverts similar and without blackish tips. 

 It, is about liu, shorter than C. indica. Hab., Christmas 

 Island. 



Dr. C. W. Andrews says (" Monograjih of Christmas 

 Island," p. 39) : " The Ground-Pigeon is by far the 

 most brightly coloured of the birds of Olmstmas Island. 

 It usually feeds on the ground, and can riui rapidly. 

 Though generally seen in pairs, small flocks sometimes 

 occur, particularly near water. The food consists of 

 small fruits. The nest is said to be placed in tluckets 

 of screw-pine (Pandaiiiis). but I never saw either it or 

 the eggs. At pairing time the males fight fiercely, and 

 are said to kill one another occasionally. Yomig birds 

 are seen in April. In spite of the brightness of the 

 colouring this bird is difficult to see, the green of the 



