20



MY DOVES IN 1897.


By O. Ernest Cressweel.


Our Secretary has informed me that during these summer

months “copy” is always short ; this must be my apology for

relating the doings of the inhabitants of some of my aviaries,

which are, I fancy, of interest to but a limited number of the

members of our Society.


Through the summer my Doves have been intent, as never

before, on raising descendants to represent them in times to

come. Pairs, which for years had never really nested, though

eggs were casually dropped about, have systematically and

seriously made their nests and reared offspring. I cannot

entirely account for this : in some cases it is, I think, due to the

fadt that I have learnt by experience just the tempting places in

which to hang up nesting-baskets ; in one aviary I attribute it to

the growth of China rose-bushes and honeysuckle, which now

almost conceal the nests ; in other cases I cannot pretend to

explain the change. A short account of the species which I

have this year succeeded in rearing may possibly be of interest.


1. Early in June, through the great kindness of a corres¬

pondent in Barbadoes, whom I do not personally know, a large

crate arrived, containing seven Wood Doves, as they are

commonly called in their native land ; ten had been dispatched,

three of which had apparently succumbed to the voyage. All

were in good health, though one masterful spirit (as I soon

learnt) had plucked several bare 011 the head and shoulders.

This Wood Dove is the Columba auriia of Shaw’s Zoology. It is

about the size of the Barbary Turtle, but is shorter in tail and

longer in legs, and is decidedly a ground Dove, and runs fast.

The general colour of the head, back, and wings, is sienna-

brown, changing into vinaceous pink on the breast; on each

side of the neck are brilliant violaceous patches which almost

meet on the back ; there are black and white spots on the wings

and on the ends of the tail-feathers, and, on the sides of the head,

two dark horizontal lines, like the Zenaida tribe. Temminck’s

beautiful illustration of his Cohtmba aurita, or Martinique Dove,

in most points fairly represents this Dove. In the Natural

History Department of the British Museum I was lately cour¬

teously allowed to overlook many skins ; the nearest approach

to my new importations, that I could find, was the S. American

Zenaida aurita, but its general colour was rather ashen than rich



