THE TRIANGULAR-SPOTTED PIGEON. 243 



utterance to a series of little peevish grunts when 

 anyone approached him, and at the same time he 

 would try to strike the intruder with his sound wing. 



Altogether he bore a greater resemblance in voice 

 and manners to the members of the genus Columba 

 than he did to the Turtles, and at the "Zoo" he is 

 considered to be the Ethiopian representative of the 

 former. 



I have not heard of any instance of the bird being 

 bred in this country, but see no reason why it should 

 not, as it feeds on corn and seed like ordinary 

 Pigeons, but evinces a marked preference for the small 

 round yellow maize, of which it will consume a very 

 appreciable quantity in 24 hours; so that it is not at 

 all difficult to comprehend the enmity of the Guinean 

 agriculturist, which has led to a considerable diminu- 

 tion of the bird's numbers in its native land. 



I think it also probable that the Triangular- spotted 

 Pigeon will partake of fruit as well as corn, for, like 

 the frugivorous section of its congeners, it develops a 

 pair of protuberances on its upper mandible during the 

 breeding season. 



The scientific name is Columba guinea. 



