170 Practical Bird-Keeping. — III. Pigeojis and Doves.


The Plumed Ground Dove (Lophophaps plumipera).


This is a very tiny little dove, with a long upright crest

on the head. It is very active and, like the Partridge Bronze¬

wing, nests on the ground, and can run at a great rate. The

general colour is bright cinnamon, with darker markings, and

black and white face colouring, a grey and black band cross the

breast. A touch of brightness is given by the bare red skin

round the eye. A very similar dove in shape and colour is the

White-bellied Ground Dove (.Lophophaps leucogaster), the chief

difference being that it has a white band—as well as the black

and grey one—across the breast


The Australian Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes ).


A very handsome bird, but rather a tyrant 111 the aviary.

It is a fair size and well proportioned. In colour it is chiefly

grey, barred over with black, with purple, green and white

metallic feathers in the wings. The breast is pinkish-grey, and

a black upright crest surmounts the head. The Crested Dove is

very hardy and breeds well in captivity. Some birds are darker

than others and, as a rule, the darker the bird the richer the

metallic colours, but I look on the light birds as being far the

prettier of the two shades.


We now come to the Ground Doves and Pigeons (sub¬

family Geotrygonince).


The Rufous Dove (.Leptoptila rcichenbachi).


The upper parts of this dove are olive brown, the breast

soft rufous, while the forehead is whitish, shading into grey on

the top of the head. There is a purple sheen on the neck and

shoulders. I11 shape it is stoutly built, with rather long legs.

The Rufous is a very good-tempered dove and nests readily in

captivity.


The White-fronted or Violet Dove.


(.Leptoptila jamaicensis').


This is one of the most beautiful of all the dove family.

It is about the same size as the Rufous Dove ; the back is olive

brown, the neck very metallic in lights of gold, green and purple,

the forehead white, shading into grey on the top of the head ;

the face, throat and breast pure white, with a patch of purple pink



