Pigeons and Doves. 21 



a fine deep hind collar of cinnamon and black. The breast is a 



delicate pinkish shade, the head grey and the eye yellow, while 



the bare skin round is blue-gre}'. The two hens I have had 



were both smaller and duller and not so striking-looking as the 



cock bird. 



The Peaceful Dove (^Geopelia tranquil la). 



This is another barred dove, but much smaller in size than 

 the Bar-shouldered ; its length being only about nine inches. 

 The general colour is grey crossed with narrow black lines, the 

 iris is bright ash-gre}'. 



The Zebra Dove {Geopelia striata). 



There is little difference between this dove and the Peace- 

 ful Dove, but in the latter the black bars tf7///;r/j cross the breast, 

 which is not so in the Zebra, also the last-named has a brown 

 iris. It is much the more amiable bird of the two. 

 The Diamond Dove (^Geopelia ameata). 



This tiny little dove is deservedly a favourite. It is very 

 small, slender in shape and with a long graceful tail. It varies 

 in colour, some specimens being drab, and others a clear ash- 

 grey. The wings are dotted over with tiny white spots as if the 

 bird had been out in a snowstorm. The colour of the eye and 

 surrounding skin also differs ; in some birds being bright ruby 

 red, in others, greenish-3'ellow. 



The Scaly Dove {Scarda/ella squaynosd). 



This is another small slender dove ; in colour pale brownish 

 with darker barring of brown. It is not often imported and 

 specimens vary very much, some seeming almost black and 

 others quite light brown, the bars in the latter case showing, 

 of course, most conspicuously. 



We now come to what Dr. Butler terms the Metal- 

 SPOTTED Doves (sub-family PeristerincB). The first is : — 

 The Picdi or Steel-barred Dove {Cohcmbula picui). 



This is a very tiny little dove. I have kept many speci- 

 mens and found it vary very much in colour, from grey to almost 

 black. The hens are much browner than the cocks ; the most 

 usual colour for the latter being a soft grey. High up in the 

 shoulder is a bar of steel-blue feathers right across the wing. 

 The eyes are very lovely, the iris purple surrounded with a pale 

 straw-coloured outer ring. 



