COLUMBID^. 259 



covered with fibrous roots, and on this are deposited their two delicate 

 cream-coloured eggs : axis, 10'"; diameter, 8'", similar at each eUd. 



The young the first year are mottled. They generally fly in pairs, 

 but several are often seen in company. The males are very salacious, 

 cooing to any female they chance to fall in with. I kept one in con- 

 finement for many months : it became very tame, and would salute my 

 first coming into the room in the morning with a deep, plaintive 

 " coo-coo-oo." It was killed at last by some little love-birds (Euphemia 

 Elegans), that tore it to pieces. They feed entirely on grass seeds and 

 grain, and walk with such rapidity when feeding, that I have often 

 mistaken them for rats when about the farmsteads where they congre- 

 gate. It is probably migratory. 



Genus TURTUP, Selby. 

 Bill slender and straight, with the top slightly arched and 

 acute; wings rather lengthened, with the first two quills 

 rather graduated, and the second and third quills the longest ; 

 tail moderate, even or rounded ; tarsi rather shorter than the 

 middle toe, and scutellated in front ; toes very long and 

 slender, with the outer one shorter than the inner ; the claws 

 moderate and slightly curved. 



509. Turtur VinaceUS. (Gmel.) Turtur Ery- 

 throphrys, Swain., Columba Le Vaillantii, Smith. 



General colour of the back, interscapulars, wings, and tail, 

 grey-brown, having a strong cinereous tinge on the back, and 

 a slighter one on the rump and outermost wing-covers ; the 

 crown is of a most delicate cinereous, graduating to white in 

 front, and blending behind into the vinaceous red of the 

 nape and upper neck ; the back of the neck has a broad, 

 black semi-collar, margined by a narrow cinereous line ; the 

 whole of the under plumage, as far as the belly, is vinaceous, 

 becoming paler on the ears, and 'almost white on the chin ; 

 the belly, vent, flanks, and under tail-covers clear cinereous ; 

 tail broad, and rounded ; the outer half cinereous (almost 

 white beneath), and the basal half black ; bill black ; feet 

 dark; orbits naked, and rich red. Total length, 11"; bill 

 from gape, 1"; wing, 7" ; tail beyond^ Ig"; ditto from base, 

 5" ; tarsus, -ro"; middle toe and claw, l^"; hinder ditto, ■^". 

 As so much similarity exists between the two turtle-doves 

 found in this country, 1 give full descriptions of both from 

 the careful pen of that most accurate and minute of all 

 describers, fSwainson, whose specimen I have seen. I find, 

 however, much difference exists in the measurements of that 

 described by Mr. Swaiuson, or even in two different exam- 

 ples now before me, one of which came from Swellendam ; 

 th© other shot at the Knysna by Mr. Butler, the taxider- 



