DOVES 111 



The first family (Treronidce) contains the Green Fruit 

 Pigeons, distinguished from the second family by the 

 possession of fourteen tail feathers. 



The Southern Green Fruit Pigeon (Vinago delalandii) 

 is of a general green colour, excepting a broad collar of 

 drab and the wing-quills, which are black ; below the 

 colour is of a greyer tinge mottled with yellow on the abdo- 

 minal portion ; the " shoulder " is washed with pinkish. 



This bird extends from British East Africa southwards 

 to the forests of the Eastern Cape Colony. In the 

 Albany division it is decidedly uncommon, being, how- 

 ever, a little more plentiful in Pondoland. 



It is a partial migrant, its appearance and disappear- 

 ance being coincident with the ripening of forest fruits 

 and berries. It is especially fond of the wild fig, amongst 

 the branches of which the bird is very difficult of detec- 

 tion, owing to the harmony existing between the color- 

 ation of its plumage and that of the foliage. 



The cry is a soft whistle ; the flesh is tender and of 

 a delicate flavour. It builds the usual dove-like type 

 of nest a platform of sticks and, according to Ayres, 

 lays white eggs. 



The members of the second family (Columbidce) possess 

 only twelve tail feathers. 



The Speckled Pigeon (Columba plmonotd) has the head, 

 neck, rump and tail slate-grey, back maroon ; wings 

 slatey mottled with white, below slate-grey. The naked 

 skin round the eye and the legs red. It is found through- 

 out South Africa, excepting Rhodesia. 



This bird is called the Bosch-duif by the Boers, but is 

 more strictly speaking a rock-loving species, breeding on 



