352 Lieut. R. E. Vauglian and Staff-Surg. K. H. Jones 



Not infrequently the nest is placed in the same tree as 

 that of Turhtr chinensis, and on one occasion five nests ot: 

 Turtur hiimilis were found in one tree. It has been met with 

 also in heronries occupied by the Night and Pond-Herons. 

 The usual number of eggs is two, but on July 11a nest 

 containing three was discovered by Staff-Surgeon C. E. 

 Cortis Stanford, R.N. The eggs have a creamy tint, and 

 are markedly smaller than those of Turtur chinensis. They 

 average l"02x'82, and vary in length from 1*10 to '97, and 

 in width from -SI to '77. 



Turtur chinensis. 



This Turtle Dove is a very common resident, and at Hong 

 Kong it is exceedingly tame, feeding close to the houses and 

 flying about the town and gardens. Early in the spring the 

 male may be seen performing his love flights, which he docs 

 by ascending, perhaps one or two hundred feet, and coming 

 down with wings and tail stiffly extended : a very pretty 

 aerial evolution. 



During the breeding-season two cochs not infrequently 

 engage in battle^ pecking viciously at each other and striking 

 hard blow's with their wings. This bird has also been seen 

 to attack that robber, the Chinese Blue Magpie (Urocissa), 

 when the latter has approached its nest and eggs ; and the 

 Dove has been known to strike the Pie severe blows in mid- 

 air wdth its powerful wings, so that the thief was glad to 

 escape. 



There is little doubt that one sex relieves the otlier during 

 incubation, but as they are alike it is not possible to say 

 precisely Avhen this occurs. 



On March 17a bird of this species being flushed from its 

 eggs pretended to fall to the ground, and there shammed 

 being wounded ; this was the only occasion when such an 

 action was observed. There is no doubt that this Dove lays 

 its eggs throughout the year, for they have been taken in 

 all the months except January, and young were obtained 

 which must have been hatched in that month. 



At the Marble Rocks, Shiu Hing, twenty miles above 

 Samshui_, this bird has become a cliff-breeder, and jilaces its 



