6y



general effedt of their plumage is a delicate pencilling of silver

greys, suffused on the breast with tints of madder. They are

terribly difficult to import, from their extreme timidity ; hence

the fact that, though they are found, with many local variations,

over great tracts of S. America, in Mexico, the West Indian

Islands, and even in California, they are hardly ever offered fox-

sale in Kurope. My friend in Barbados learnt that over and over

again cages of them had been shipped for England, but that

none ever arrived alive. They absolutely batter themselves to

pieces. Some which he procured for me did so before they

could be shipped. However, he made the attempt, dispatched

ten in a very snug box, and five reached me. I have already

alluded to the state of collapse in which they arrived, owing, I

think, to their being supplied with big gi'ain and no small seed.

For many months I left them in a hot kitchen, then for a while

in an outdoor room, and from August until lately in a very warm

outdoor aviary, not artificially heated but partially glazed and

catching every ray of sun. The moult has been a difficulty :

two succumbed to it, but one pair are in fine plumage and

condition, and show signs of pairing.


Sixth.—Eastly a single Necklace Dove (^Turtur chinensis),

which doubtless had arrived in some ship from the East Indies,

accompanied this party from the West ; very acceptable he was,

for I had hens but no pure cock of the l'ace. I have had maiy

beautiful hybrids from these liens, which have picked up sti'ange

husbands, those by a Blue Senegal Dove being the handsomest.

I mated this cock with a hen which came from Manilla six years

ago, and they nested at once.


Reading Dr. Butler’s article on the breeding of Necklace

Doves, in an early number of the Magazine of last year, I was

struck by his remark, “ This species has been bred by at least

two aviculturists in Germany,” implying, apparent^, that their

breeding is not very common. My own nest almost all the 3^ear

i-ound, more regularly than Barbaiy Turtles. I remember, too,

in early childhood seeing them nesting in the shrubberies of a

Middlesex garden. Their owner kept a few, which he called

“African Doves,” among many Barbaiy Turtles, and in summer

left the aviary-doors open—all flew in and out and nested at

their own sweet will.


To pass from my new acquisitions to old favourites—At

last, in 1898, I reared one Bronze-nape ( Htimeralis ). Annually

the parents have hatched about five pairs, which they invariably

desert when about a fortnight old, after bestowing upon them



