2 66 FEATHERED FRIENDS. 



The above little experience reminds me how superior 

 very often are the pleasures of anticipation to those 

 of actual fruition. I had longed, I was about to say 

 from time immemorial, but at all events for a long 

 while, to own a pair of Turtle Doves, and lo, when my 

 long-cherished desire was, after much waiting, gratified, 

 I was only too glad to get rid of my prize. 



1 may have been unfortunate in my experience, no 

 doubt: in all probability I was, for Mr. Morris and 

 other writers give numerous instances of the great 

 tameness, docility, amiability and general desirableness 

 of these birds. Well, be that as it may, for my part 

 I have lost all wish to try them again, out of doors 

 at any rate, and although there is no telling what may 

 happen, I do not expect that I shall ever possess any 

 Turtle Doves again. 



Nevertheless the bird is a nice bird, a very nice- 

 looking bird, and is a trifle bigger than the Barbary 

 Turtle, so often but so erroneously described as the 

 "Ringdove." The male Turtle Dove is about a foot in 

 length, of slender shape and weighs about six ounces 

 when in good condition. His legs and toes are bright 

 red, and his claws (nails) blackish brown. His beak 

 is grey, but the tip of the upper mandible is of a 

 brownish yellow colour, and very hard, while the 

 inside of both upper and lower mandibles is red. 



He belongs to a numerous sub-family the members 

 of which all bear a general likeness to each other, that 



