166 Practical Bird-Keeping. — III. Pigeons and Doves.


very distinct in colour, the cock being of a ruddy colour with

black wing quills and a clear ash-grey head and broad hind

black collar, while the hen is dun grey except for a collar of

black. The eyes of both are very dark and full. The young

birds resemble the female till they are quite a large size when

the ruddy feathers will be seen coming gradually. The Ruddy

Turtle nests readily, but the young are often forsaken just before

they can do for themselves.


The Necklaced Dove ( Turtur iigrinus).


A very lovely dove, slender in build and with a long tail.

The general colour is brown, with light huffish spots on the

wings. The breast is vinous, the head pinkish grej r , and the

eyes reddish orange. A very broad black and white checked

collar round the back of the neck. This dove seems very seldom

imported now, though, at one time, some years ago, it was very

easy to procure it. It nests freely, and is one of the most beau¬

tiful of the dove family. The Necklace conies from Burma, but

a very similar dove known as the Spotted Turtle Dove (Turtur

suratensis') comes from India, and is really the handsomer of the

two, for the eye is larger and a rich rubv-red, and the wing spots

are much brighter and more distinct. My cock Spotted Turtle

and my hen Necklace brought up many young ones; one year I

reared seven birds.


The Senegal Turtle Dove (Turtur senegalensis').


This is a very favourite little dove ; in colour reddish and

grey. It has a black-checked collar running round the front and

sides of the neck, differing in this respect from most doves, for

the collar is usually behind. The Senegal Dove readily breeds

in captivity and is a very pretty and bright little bird, though, to

my thinking, not so attractive in colouring as the Ruddy Turtle.


We now come to the aberrant Turtle Doves (sub family

Geopeliince).


The Bar-Shouldered Dove ( Geopelia humeralis ).


This is one of the handsomest and, at the same time, one

of the most quarrelsome of all the members of the dove family.

It is not a very large bird, but is long and slender in shape, with

rather a small head in proportion to its size. The colouring is



