The Dove Family. 19 



of those small wicker cages in which so many canaries 

 are brought over from Germany to this country. 



THE AUSTRALIAN CRESTED DOVE, Ocyphaps loph- 

 otes, is a very delightful species, about the size of 

 the common Barbary or Collared Turtle. As its name 

 implies, its head is ornamented with an upstanding 

 crest, constructed on the same principle as that of the 

 cockatiel. The general colour is grey, with bronze 

 reflections on the wings and neck, and the long, broad 

 tail is prettily barred with white. When the bird 

 alights on its perch it has a habit of slightly spreading 

 and jerking up the tail, that is very curious. It is a 

 ground-loving bird, and only resorts to the trees for 

 sleeping purposes at night. In confinement, however, 

 the Crested Dove's habits vary a good deal, and it 

 passes much of its time dozing side by side with its 

 mate on a branch. 



The female bears a close resemblance to the male, but 

 is decidedly smaller, anyd has a finer head and thinner 

 neck. These birds breed freely in confinement, and 

 I have known of one pair from which seventeen young 

 were obtained in one season by giving their eggs to 

 Collared Turtles to be hatched. 



THE BLOOD-BREASTED PIGEON, Phlogcenas cruen- 

 tata, is another fine species. It is a native of the 

 Philippine Islands, and succeeds very well in confine- 

 ment. Its English name is derived from a curious 

 red spot on the centre of its white breast, which 

 gives one the impression that the bird has just been 

 stabbed, and that the mark in question is a stain 

 of blood. It is a short, thick bird, about the size of 

 a small Tumbler Pigeon. 



C 3 



