133



On Foreign Doves.



spare cock I would part with, as she had a hen, that had laid,

a great many eggs, and she had spent quite a small fortune in

trying to find it a mate. This letter put a bold plan into my

head. I did not want to part with either of my cocks, they were

such beauties, but I did want very much to breed this dove, So

I wrote to the lady and said, “ Will you let me have your bird for

the summer, and if I can rear any young ones we will divide

them.” After a few days an answer came to the effect that

“Joey” was to come to me. Her answer went on to say how

very much she valued the bird, it was such a pet, and used to let

her catch it without being frightened, and it would often come

and settle on her head. The affection she had for the bird was

evidently so genuine that I began to regret what I had done.

Suppose the bird died while with me! I began to imagine all

sorts of dreadful fates for it, and felt quite uneasy.


But in bird-keeping (as in other things) it is unwise to

make troubles before they come. “Joey" ” arrived in March, and

from that day" to this she has never had a day’s illness. The

Bleeding-hearts had many nests, but from various causes I have

only reared three y"oung ones. Two are the finest birds I have

ever seen. I wonder if it is a general rule that an aviary bred

bird is larger than a wild caught one? The third young one is

just changing from the brown plumage to the grey". I have

never found the Bleeding-heart quarrelsome or tiresome with

other birds, and I have tried it with tiny" finches and waxbills,

and with other doves.* The Bleeding-hearts are particularly

fond of ground biscuit, and are always on the look out when I

fill their tin with a fresh supply, and begin to eat it at once.


(To be continued.)



* I found it positively dangerous to a Picui-dove (steel-barred) which had a drooping

wing and was consequently unable to escape rapidly when the large bird rushed at it.—

A.G.B.



