TURTUR SEXEGALENSIS. 235 



The Common Turtle-Dove is seen in extreme abundance in 

 Andalucia, during its stay being a great object of pursuit to the 

 Spanish tirador, who, in August, often makes a puesto, or hiding- 

 place, near some favourite drinking-haunt of the doves, and 

 shoots them much in the same way as the Partridge that is, on 

 the ground, three or four in a row ; only with the Doves he has, 

 of course, no reclame, or call-bird. 



The Turtle-Dove chiefly arrives during the first week in May, 

 more coming in that week than during all the rest of their 

 migration, which is about the time that the seed of the Greater 

 Honey wort (Cerinthe major] is ripe, and on which they feed on 

 arrival. I first saw one in 1870 on the llth, and in 1872 on the 

 14th of April. They mostly disappear by the beginning of 

 October. The latest I noticed was a single bird at Casas Viejas 

 on the 31st of October. In my note-book I have one recorded 

 as seen on the 9th of October, in the middle of the Bay of 

 Biscay. 



Head, nape, rump, and outer wing-coverts bluish ash ; under tail-coverts 

 white ; collar-patch of four rows of black feathers tipped with white on 

 each side of neck; tail graduated, two centre feathers brown, the rest 

 slate-grey, the ends and outside web of outer pair white. 



Young. Without neck-patch. Length 11^ inches. 



260. Turtur senegralensis (Linnaeus). The Egyptian Turtle- 

 Dove. 



This species is mentioned by Mr. Drake as found commonly 

 in the southern part of Morocco, but does not appear to have 

 been obtained by Favier, nor were any met with by us, in the 

 north-west of that country. 



The absence of spots on the back, and its smaller size, will distinguish it 

 from any other species likely to be met with in Morocco. 



Feathers of the fore neck bifurcated, black, with two rufous spots at end 

 of each, forming collar ; rump bluish lead-colour. Length 1 1 inches. 



