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PIGEONS AND SAND-GROUSE. 



Cape Dove. 



As a well-known representative of the fourth subfamily 

 (Phabince) of this assemblage, may be mentioned the Cape dove 

 (jEna capensis), which is the sole member of its genus. The subfamily includes 

 a dozen genera, and about double that number of species, all of which are confined 

 to the Old World ; their essential characters being their relatively large size, and 

 the presence of blue or green spots or patches on the wings. In the first four 

 genera there are two dark bands across the rump. The Cape dove, which may be 

 recognised by its long wedge-shaped tail, with the middle feathers more than twice 

 as long as the outer pair, ranges all over Tropical and Southern Africa, as well as 

 Madagascar and Arabia. It occurs in pairs, and is chiefly found on the ground ; 





BLUE-BEARDED CUBAN DOVES (J nat. size). 



when disturbed, seeking shelter in low trees and bushes, but rarely in larger trees. 

 The nest is placed in a low bush, and the two white eggs have a rosy tint, caused 

 by the thinness and semi -transparency of the shell. The next three genera have 

 the tail moderately long and more or less rounded ; and while Tympanistria has 

 the first primary pointed, in Chalcopelia and Chalcophaj)s this feather is normal 

 in shape. The white-breasted wood-dove, the only representative of the genus 

 Tympanistria, inhabits the whole of South Africa as well as Madagascar, the 

 Comoro Islands, and Fernando Po. 



African Ground- The African ground-dove (Chalopelia afra), the solitary repre- 



Dove. sentative of its genus, in addition to the characters given, may be 



recognised by the boldly marked patches of metallic steel-blue or golden-green 



adorning the wings. Inhabiting the whole of Africa south of about 17° north 



