On Nesting of the White-fronted or Violet Dove. 393


time, it was insufficient to prevent the birds from getting

up into the air, or even soaring. I was away from home

at the time, but I was told that it was a pretty sight to see these

two birds flying round in a circle with a diameter of almost a

mile, at times 150 yards up in the air, from which elevation the}'’

fortunately always descended to alight near their distracted

parents. I11 the end, with some difficulty, they were captured,

and the feathers which had completed their growth were further

shortened. So the birds are now safe until we have time to

properly pinion them.



NESTING OF THE WHITE-FRONTED OR VIOLET


DOVE.*


Leptoptila javiaicensis.


By Miss R. Alderson.


I think most aviculturists who have at last bred a

beautiful bird after many disappointments will understand the

pleasure I feel in my pair of young Violet Doves. The old birds

had failed over and over again to rear any j'oung ones until at

last I felt so disheartened that whenever I saw my Violets

nesting I determined not to hope nor to expect any success.


I obtained my first pair of these Doves in October, 1901,

at a cost of 25/- the pair, and I believe the gentleman from whom

I got them had double that sum offered him for them after he

had sold them to me. I have never seen this Dove offered for

sale by a bird dealer, and the few specimens I have heard of in

this country have been imported through private enterprise. I

believe my hen is now the only hen left in England, unless one

of ray young birds proves to be the same sex. Even in their own

country, the West Indies, these Doves are not common.


In colouring, the Violet Dove is very lovely. It is stoutly

built, but very shapely. In size, about the same size as a

Bleeding-heart Dove.



* The name “Violet Dove” is more properly applied to Geotrygon violacca than to the f

present species.—E d.



