TUBTUR TURTUE 231 



In Algeria and Marocco the Eock-Dove is abundant in suitable 

 localities, both north and south of the Atlas. 



Well meriting its name, the present species is essentially a rock- 

 loving bird, and is always to be found among cliffs and crags, and 

 not in wooded localities. It is gregarious and sociable, and nests in 

 colonies, but is strictly monogamous. In its habits and its note it 

 resembles our domestic Pigeon, and is no doubt the stock from which 

 the latter has sprung. In its general movements it is graceful, and 

 shy and timid in its character. When feeding it usually selects some 

 open spot, where it is impossible to approach it without being seen. 

 It flies with great swiftness and frequently close over the ground, the 

 " swish " made by a large flock passing by being very loud. Its food 

 is more or less the same as that of the preceding species, seeds, grain, 

 young shoots and tender roots of plants forming its principal diet. 



Its nest, which is placed in the hole or cleft of a cliff, or under 

 a ledge of rock, is a slight structure composed of a few twigs and 

 grasses, on which two pure glossy-white eggs are deposited. Average 

 measurements 37 X 26 mm. Two broods are usually reared in a 

 season. 



Besides the dark-rumped Eock-I)ove (C. schimperi, Bp. ?) referred 

 to in the above observations as having been obtained in Tunisia, my 

 collection contains a similarly plumaged example from Marocco. This 

 was obtained out of a flock of the ordinary white-rumped birds, one 

 of the latter being killed at the same shot. Bonaparte's name of 

 C. turricola, appears also to have been given to a dark-rumped bird, 

 but neither it nor that of C. schimperi seem to have much claim to 

 stand, even subspecifically. C. rupestris and C. intermedia are two 

 other names which have been given to Rock-Doves in Asia, both 

 being considered by some ornithologists merely as synonyms of 

 C. livia. 



TURTUR TURTUR (Linnseus) 

 TUETLE-DOVE. 



Columba turtur, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 284 (1766) ; Malherbe, Cat. Bais. 



cVOls. Alg. p. 18 (1846). 

 Turtur turtur, Sharpie, Ibis, 1891, p. Ill ; Salvadorl, Cat. Birds Brit. 



il/«s.xxi, p. 396 ; Erlanger, J.f. 0. 1900, p. 22. 



