Si



on the Madagascar Turtle-dove.



noticed anything like this in any other dove, I have not seen any

signs of its being more crepuscular in habits than usual. Feet

dull purple.


The female is easily distinguished from the male by being

considerably smaller, the purple patch on the back and wings is

duller and less extensive, and all her colours are less bright.


The following account of its habits is given by Milne-

Edwards and Grandidier, in their great history of Madagascar,

Birds, Vol. XII., p. 462. “ These Turtle-doves are very common


in all the Island of Madagascar, particularly in the plantations

and cultivated fields, where they are found in pairs and some¬

times in little bands of from six to eight individuals. Like their

allies of Europe, they walk well and fly with rapidity without

noise, they make quick turnings to baffle the pursuit of their

enemies, their cooing is soft and monotonous. They feed on

grain and make great ravages in the rice fields at the time of

sowing and at the season of harvest. Their flesh is very delicate.

Their nest, like that of all pigeons, is flat and roughly made of

grasses and small roots, it is placed in a tree at a low elevation,

their eggs are white, and measure 30 mm. by 23. The Malagasy

call this Turtle-dove Domohina , Lomohina or Dimohy .”


The Rev. J. Sibree, in Ibis, 1891, p. 564, says that Domohina

is the general name by which it is known, while Provincial

Malagasy names are Domoy, Demoy, Lamoka, Deho and

Demodemoka.


Early this year I saw advertised some “ Aldabra Doves,”

thinking they might be the Aldabran Turtle-dove ( Turtur alda-

■branus) I sent for a pair. On arrival I saw that they could not be

this species on account of their grey heads, and they turned out

to be the nearly allied Painted Dove, the subject of this paper.

For some time I feared that I had not got a true pair, though one

was larger and brighter than the other. The smaller bird soon

showed itself to be a hen, and laid two eggs in March and two

in April, but as the bird was at this time unmated, they were

unfertile. About this time I felt sure that the other bird was

a cock, as it began to coo a good deal to other doves, but

would take no notice of the hen. From the first they made

themselves quite at home, always I think roosting in the inner



