Correspondence, Notes, etc.



211



Ill each case Incubation is supposed to have begun with the laying of

the second egg.


Number of Eggs. Period.


4



-&»•


Species.



2









20 „



3









13



6









14 „



2









15 >,



1









16 „



2









13 >.



10









14 >,



1









15 „



2









13



1









15 »



Domestic Pigeon



Barbar} 7 Dove


(Turtur risorius)



White Barbary Dove..



Necklaced Dove

Cambavan Turtle-Dove

( T. cambayensis)


In the above Table the 011I3 7 Barbary Dove’s egg that took 16 da} 7 s to

hatch was under a pair of the little Cambaj'an Dove ; 110 doubt they were

unable to keep such a large egg quite up to the normal temperature.


Most of the young hatched from the Barbary hens were different

sorts of Turtle-Dove hybrids, but 6 of the young were pure Barbary, 5 of

which hatched in 14 and one in 13 days, so I think we can say that this

bird takes from 13 to 15 days to incubate, by far the greater majority

hatching on the 14th day.


The Necklaced Doves were, I believe, a cross between Turtur

suratensis and T. tigrinus, but, as these two birds are so closely allied, one

would not expect them to differ in the period of incubation. I think 15

days must not be considered the normal time for the Cambayan Dove, as

in this case only one rather thin-shelled egg was laid, the young just

managed to hatch and then died: 13 or even 12 days I suspect would be

nearer.


Another point which has been neglected, owing to the difficulty 01

knowing when an egg is laid, is what length of time elapses between the

laying of the eggs of a clutch.


The general opinion seems to be that Barbary and other Doves lay

their two eggs on consecutive days. I have never found this to be so, one

day always elapsing between the laying of the two eggs


I have the following notes on this subject:


Domestic Pigeons (2 hens) 11 pairs laid 011 alternate days.


1 pair with 2 days between.


(I suspect a slight case of egg binding in this case).


Barbary Dove (3 hens) 49 pairs laid 011 alternate daj 7 s.


Barbary hybrids (2 different crosses) 7 ,, ,, ,,


Necklaced Doves (2 hens) 5 ,, ,, ,,


Senegal Turtle-Dove 1 pair ,, ,,


Cambayan Turtle-Dove (2 hens) 4 pairs ,, >,



