164 Practical Bird-Keeping. — 111 . Pigeons a?id Doves.


birds almost unknown in English aviaries, a fact much to be

deplored, we come to the


Typical Pigeons ( Columbidce .)


The Triangular Spotted Pigeon ( Coltanba guinea).


A large bird, slate grey in colour, with a reddish neck of

bifid feathers, the wings are dotted with triangular white spots.

This pigeon’s coo is a strange kind of barking noise, sounding

almost unnatural in a bird. The eye is red, surrounded with

bare red skin.


The Spot-Winged (or Spotted) Pigeon ( Columba maczilosa).


A large, but beautifully-shaped bird ; the general colour

being pearl and ashy grey, the wings covered with whitish spots.

The eye is also grey, and the “ bloom ” on the neck and shoulders

of a well-conditioned bird is very lovely. I look on this pigeon

as almost the most beautiful of any of the larger varieties I have

known,


The White Crowned Pigeon ( Columba leucocephala).


A handsome dark slate bird, with a whitish cap on the

head and a sheen of colour, like the scales of a mackerel, on the

neck.


All the above birds are too large to keep in a small aviary

with other occupants, though they might do well if given an

aviary entirely to one pair of birds. I have found all these

pigeons hardy and all good-tempered to others of their own kind.


We now come to the Turtle Doves and their allies ( Peris -

tetidcs ), beginning with the sub-family Zenaidince.


Martinican or Aurita Dove. (. Ze?iaida aurita).


A plump, well-shaped dove ; the general colour being rich

chestnut fading into purplish-pink on the breast. There are a

few black and white spots on the wings, and the neck has very

beautiful purple and gold reflections. The eye is full and dark.

The Aurita is a very handsome dove and easy to breed, but its

great drawback is its aggressive ways to others of its kind, and

being a very bold bird it soon becomes master of the situation.

It is very common in Jamaica.


The White-winged Zenaida Dove ( Melopelia leucoptcra).


This bird is about the same size as the Aurita, but rather



