112 DENIZENS OF THE FOREST 



krantzes (cliffs), or on the top of a wall in an out-building. 

 The eggs are white, two in number, and may be looked 

 for during the months of August to March. 



It does a considerable amount of damage to grain crops, 

 but is, on the other hand, of decided use in devouring 

 insects, including locusts and their young (vo'etgangers). 

 It is about the size of a tame pigeon and has a similar 

 cooing call. 



The Olive Pigeon (C. arquatrix), is slightly larger than 

 the preceding bird, and has a number of vernacular 

 names. 



It shares with the Speckled Pigeon the Boer cogno- 

 men of Bosch-duif, and is also occasionally called the 

 Oliven-duif. In Natal the Colonials term it the Black 

 Pigeon, but in the Eastern districts of the Cape it is 

 generally known as the Bush Pigeon. 



The back is of a purplish shade, the lower half of the 

 wings being slate-coloured spotted with white ; tail black ; 

 chin and throat pinkish, breast purplish spotted with 

 white, the purple shading into slate on the abdomen. 



It ranges from Knysna, in Cape Colony, to Zululand 

 and the Transvaal, but is only an inhabitant of forest 

 and bush country. In habits it resembles the Speckled 

 Pigeon, excepting that it builds in trees and lays greenish- 

 white eggs. 



The Turtle-Doves are represented in South Africa by 

 four species and one sub-species, only one of which has no 

 black collar on the back of the neck. 



The Bed-eyed Dove (Turtur semitorquatus) has the 

 head grey (cheeks and nape shaded with pink) ; above 

 drabish - brown, and below pinkish-grey, fading into 

 whitish on the chin and blue-grey on the flanks and belly. 

 Bare skin round the eye red. 



