COLUMBIDJ3. 233 



281. Streptopelia damarensis (Finsch & Hartl.). Damara Dove. 



La Tourterelle blonde a collier, Levaillant's Ois. d'Afr. pi. 268. 

 Turtur vinaceus, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Damar., Contr. Orn. 



1852, p. 157. 



Columba risorius (?), Chapman's Travels in S. Afr v App. p. 410. 

 Turtur semitorquatus, Layard, in Ibis, 1869, p. 374. 

 Turtur damarensis^ Finsch & Hartlaub's Vogel Ost-Afrika's, p. 550. 

 Streptopelia damarensis, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 9335. 



Levaillant's figure of this Dove is very good, but the 

 artist has evidently omitted the black streak which runs 

 from the corner of the mouth to the eyes ; the white on 

 the under tail-coverts and tail is also scarcely enough 

 distinguished. Levaillant considers this and another 

 Ringdove found abundantly in the Cape Colony * as 

 distinct, but I cannot agree with him ; the size and dis- 

 tribution of colouring is just the same, only the colours 

 in the Damara bird are a few shades lighter ; but as this 

 is always the case in all the land birds of the interior 

 indigenous to that country, it cannot be admitted as a 

 sufficient characteristic to separate species, unless ex- 

 tended to all others which stand in the same relation to 

 each other. 



This is the most abundant species of Dove in Damara 

 Land and the parts adjacent. It cannot be strictly said 

 to be a gregarious species ; yet numbers are often found 

 in close proximity both on trees and on the ground, and 

 rise in one flock when flushed, producing a great noise 

 by the rapid concussion of their wings above their 

 backs. 



They seek on the ground for their food, which consists 

 almost exclusively of seeds. They build in small trees, 



* S. capicola (Sundev.). 



