the Birds of Mawiiius. 97 



In Mauritius these Doves are uow on the verge of ex- 

 tinction, though thev were once abundant. A sugar estate 

 near Mahebourg is the only spot where they still exist, 



33. * TUKTUR SURATKNSIS. 



Tuftur suratensis Salvador!, Cat. Birds, xxi. p. 414. 



Tourterelle. 



Oustalet (/ Birds ot Mauritius/ p. 75) includes this Indian 

 Dove in his List on the strength of the description of a bird 

 bj' Desjardins in 1834. From this description, the bird is 

 undoubtedly of this species, but it was probably one of a few 

 that had been brougbt from India and Ceylon, which had 

 never gained a foothold. 



When Oustalet published his book, this bird cannot have 

 been plentiful, if, indeed, it existed. Doubtless it has since 

 been reintroduced from India or Ceylon, for it is now 

 extremely common all over the island. 



34. * GliOPELIA STRIATA, 



Geopella striata Salvadori, Cat. Birds, xxi. p. 458. 



La Petite Tourterelle. 



Pigmy Dove. 



Introduced about 1750, probably from the Malay Pen- 

 insula. It was tried on Round and Flat Islands, but 

 has ceased to exist on the former, though abundant on the 

 latter. 



It is very abundant throughout the island, having a 

 partiality for human habitations and cultivated lands. 



35. * Fraxcolixus chinensis. 



Francolhws chinensis Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds, xxii. 

 p. 13G. 



Perdrix Pintadee. 



Chinese Francolin. 



Introduced from Indo-China by the Frencb about 1750. 



It lives mainly on the liigli parts of the island near Vacoas 

 and Curepipe, where it can occasionally be heard calling. 

 It is by no means a plentiful bird. 



SER. IX. VOL. VI. H 



