THE TURTLE DOVE. 267 



is in so far as they are all of slender build, have small 

 heads and long powerful wings well adapted for strong 

 and swift flight: the feet are well adapted for the 

 ground, if not as robust as those of the Pigeons proper, 

 and their plumage, in general, has more or less of a 

 ruddy tinge. The back of the neck is encircled by 

 a narrow band of black colour for the most part, but 

 occasionally, as in the present instance, spotted, dashed 

 or fringed with white. 



Hybrids are not uncommon between the different 

 species that go to form the group, and the cross-bred 

 birds proceeding from the union of the Turtle Dove with 

 the Barbary Turtle are said by Bechstein to be fruitful. 

 I have, however, no personal experience on this point, 

 but judging from analogy, am inclined to doubt the 

 correctness of the report. 



The plumage of the Turtle Dove is rusty-brown on 

 the upper surface of the body, but the feathers have 

 grey margins and black and cinereous spots in the 

 centre. The crown of the head and the back of the 

 neck are greyish-blue, and across the latter are placed 

 four black stripes with silvery edges. The throat and 

 the upper part of the breast are red of a vinous tinge. 

 The shoulders are black, but each feather has a rusty 

 margin which gives a mottled appearance to this part. 

 The flights are reddish cinereous grey. 



The bird, indeed, is one that it is far from easy to 

 describe, and in different specimens there is by no 



