42


beautiful, and, as will be hereafter shown, a free breeder in

captivit}^


Those of our members who possess the old Jardine's

Naturalists' lyibrary will be familiar with a life-like illustration

of a cock Bronze-wing, which gives a ver}^ fair idea of the

general appearance of the bird.


In size it nearly equals the English Ringdove ( Cohunba

pahimbzcsj. The plumage of the male is chiefly of a mottled

brown on the upper parts, which, in some lights, presents a

greenish tint. The breast is a very delicate vinous pink, which

shades into purplish blue on the sides of the neck. A well

defined white line encircles the eye and extends backwards

towards the nape. The tail is blue-grey, and the under wing-

coverts orange.


It is in the wings that the great beauty of the species lies.

These present in the sunlight the most exquisite tints — the

sapphire, rub}^, and opal all being in turn refledted.


The hen closely resembles her mate but is of more

slender build, and the colours on the wing-coverts are less

brilliant and of a greener tint. She lacks also the forehead

markings of the cock.^*


I obtained a cock Bronze-wing on the 2Sth of May, 1896.

He had just arrived from Tasmania, and was somewhat rough

in feather although otherwise i n good condition. He soon

became quite tame, and, until a short time ago, remained a

bachelor in my aviar}^ He never interfered in the least with

the other occupants of his domain, some of which were Doves

of various species — and Doves are not usually the most peace-

able of birds.


In August last, I received a note from a dealer, to the

effedl that he had a hen Bronze-wing for sale ; and, accordingly,

I lost no time in providing my old bachelor with a wife. She

was rather wild at first, but, as is the nature of her species, very

soon became tame. The cock seemed very anxious to commence

housekeeping; he would fly up on to an old basket-lid that was

fixed to some branches, and there he would remain, son;etimes

for hours together, cooing and gently flapping his wings. At

the end of September, a slight nest of twigs was formed on the

top of the aforesaid basket-lid. All the nesting-material was

carried up by the cock, the hen merely placing it in position.

The pair took turns in the tedious process of incubation, the

cock sitting during the greater part of the day, and the hen


* Consisting- of a large patch of buff. — A. G. B.



