DOVES 7 



exquisitely lovely. Yet their loveliness is not that of 

 golden orioles and kingfishers, but rather of clouds and 

 distant hills and soft sunsets." 



There is, however, one marked exception, and that is 

 the bronze-winged dove (Chalcophaps indica). This is 

 a perfect rainbow of colour, and a full description of 

 it would occupy half a page. It must suffice that, as it 

 flashes through a shady glade, it appears to be a thing, 

 now of emerald-green, now of coppery bronze. It is 

 found only in the well-wooded parts of the country. 

 The commonest species of dove in India is the spotted 

 dove (Turtur suratensis). Looked at from a distance, 

 it appears a plain, dingy, reddish-brown bird. Closer 

 inspection reveals a russet-brown head and neck, set off 

 by a black tippet spotted with white. The tail and 

 wings are brownish with rufous spots. Its black-and- 

 white cape suffices to distinguish it from all other kinds 

 of dove. The ringdove (Turtur risorius) is also a bird 

 seen all over India. It is grey with a collar composed 

 of a broad black band, bordered on each side by a 

 narrow white one. It has a treble note co-co-coo. 



Doves are strict vegetarians, and they subsist chiefly 

 upon grain. They seem to breed all the year round, and 

 considering the number of the birds existing in India, 

 one comes across remarkably few nests. It is not that 

 doves take extraordinary precautions to conceal their 

 nurseries. They build by preference in a babul tree, 

 which affords remarkably little cover. The nest escapes 

 detection because it is not of strictly orthodox con- 

 struction. Phil Robinson compares it to a heap of 

 spillikins. According to him, if you would make an 



