21*2 WHITE-FRONTED GROUND DOVE. 



Columba larvata, and Columba erythrothorax, the 

 first of which is placed in the second section or Co- 

 lombes. Although he has made some very pertinent 

 remarks on its close affinity to the Ground Doves, 

 the other in the third section or Columbe-gallines, 

 upon referring to the descriptions of these two birds, 

 we cannot find any recognisable distinction between 

 them, that of the one answering equally well to the 

 other ; and we are strongly inclined to think he has 

 described the C. erythrothorax as a distinct species, 

 merely in consequence of his belief that the skin 

 from which he took his description belonged to an 

 American and not an African bird, as he was in- 

 formed by the person who possessed it, that it had 

 been addressed to him from Surinam, a mistake in 

 all probability for Senegal. Our own researches 

 have not enabled us to find any American species 

 that can possibly be confounded with the African 

 bird, specimens of which we possess direct from the 

 Cape of Good Hope. We have therefore, to avoid 

 further confusion, brought the synonyms of Tem- 

 minck's two species together. 



By Le Vaillant, who first discovered the species 

 in South Africa, it is stated to inhabit extensive 

 woods, where it lives upon the ground, merely be- 

 taking itself to low bushes for concealment or repose, 

 or to build its nest. This is composed of small 

 twigs, and the eggs, which are two in number, are 

 stated to be of a yellowish- white colour. It flies 

 low, and with a considerable noise of the wings, and 



