THE CAPE DOVE. 249 



situation be readily taught to go out and return, par- 

 ticularly if the experiment of leaving their door open 

 were first tried when they had young ones nearly ready 

 to fly and not liable to suffer from an absence of an 

 hour or so on the part of the old birds. 



One of my Harlequin hens once got out of the 

 aviary by darting over my head as I was going in to 

 feed them and immediately winged her way to some 

 adjoining tall trees, in which, it being evening at the 

 time, she passed the night, and next morning I found 

 her sitting on the wire roof of her abode conversing 

 with her mate through the bars. 



I soon caught and restored her to his society, but 

 must say that he appeared to be considerably ruffled 

 in temper for he began to call out "Hoo hoo" in an 

 angry tone, and chased her about the place in a manner 

 I had never seen in his case before. 



Her flight was really a very pretty spectacle, for 

 her short rounded wings and long tail, which latter 

 was spread out fanwise to its full extent, caused her 

 to progress through the air with an undulating motion that 

 was extremely graceful, so that I felt almost reconciled 

 to losing her for the sake of the pleasure of watching 

 her as she flitted across the garden to the poplars, on 

 which she ultimately alighted ; and there she received no 

 very cordial welcome from the Sparrows which were the 

 usual tenants, and which seemed, to judge by the uproar 

 they made, to be greatly annoyed at her intrusion. 



