180 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



two broods in this time ; it builds a neater nest than 

 most Doves, and lays cream-coloured instead of white 

 eggs, thus keeping up its distinctness ab ovo. Specimens 

 can often be bought of the Calcutta dealers. 



THE CRESTED DOVE (Ocyphaps lophotes)* is a native of 

 Australia, and frequently exported both to Europe and 

 India. In size and general form it resembles the tame 

 Ring-dove, but has a longer tail and legs, and a long 

 pointed crest. Its general plumage is grey, running into 

 dull pink down the sides of the neck ; the back and wings 

 are brown barred with black, and with broad white- 

 tipped purple-bronze bands on the latter, much like the 

 wing-bar of a duck. The long crest-feathers are black, 

 and the tail black, glossed with purple and tipped 

 with white. The eyes are orange with pink eyelids, and 

 the feet coral-red. The cock and hen are exactly alike 

 but the young are much duller and have no gloss on 

 the wings. They are fledged and leave the nest and fly 

 about when quite small, only about half the size of the 

 parents. 



This, to my mind the most beautiful and interesting of 

 all Doves, is a most excellent aviary bird ; but, though 

 it will live and breed well even in a small aviary, needs a 

 large space to show itself properly. If this be given, it 

 will be found far more lively and active than Doves gener- 

 ally, running almost as quickly as a Partridge, and flying 

 rapidly, though with a whirring noise. When settling, it 

 jerks up its tail perpendicularly. When courting the hen 

 also, it erects and spreads its tail, and, slightly expanding 

 its beautiful wings, pursues her with the most absurd 



