CHAP, vi.] SPECKLED GROUND-DOVE. 209 



some damage from the rain of last night, which for a 

 time was rather heavy, but as yet I have heard of none 

 such happening. Of this species I have four adults, 

 and this is the second nest made, if I may call it such, 

 for the eggs were laid on the bare grass. Of the first 

 pair of young one died early, and the other is, I should 

 say, full grown, but has not as yet the markings about 

 the head that the old ones have. The second pair, 

 which I saw yesterday, were about half-fledged, but 

 seem to have very little down." 



Probably if the squabs had been coddled up in heat, 

 they might not have thriven so well. Still their being 

 reared at all is an extraordinary fact. The temperature 

 of their birth-place at Knowsley would be at least 60 

 or 70 lower than that in Australia. Who can guess at 

 any creature's powers of endurance, their own included, 

 till they try them ? But hardihood is not the universal 

 rule with Pigeons that have been brought up to the 

 bakings of the great Australian oven. One elegant 

 little Dove, our next subject, found by the same 

 explorers in the same heated deserts, can hardly be got 

 through a British winter in a snug cage in a warm room. 

 Let all intending purchasers of such keep their cash in 

 their purses till the spring importation has arrived. 



SPECKLED DOVE, or GRACEFUL GROUND-DOVE, Geo- 

 pelia cuneata. "All that we read or imagine of the 

 softness and innocence of the Dove is realized in this 

 beautiful and delicate little bird. It is very small, and 

 has a general purple plumage approaching to lilac. It 

 has a bright red skin round the eyes, the iris being also 

 red, and its wings are speckled over with delicate white 

 spots. This sweet bird is common on the Murray and 

 the Darling, and was met with in various parts of the 



p 



