Notes on 1913.



175



In No 3 DIVISION I had—for it is re-arranged now—1 pair

of Brush Bronze-wings ; 1 pair of Diamond Doves ; 1 hen Solitary

Ground Dove.


These Brush Bronze-wing's I have had for several years and

I used to consider them a good nesting pair, but latterly they have

done very badly, and this year did not rear a single young one.

They make nests and the hen lays many eggs, but the birds either

will not sit out their time, or else they let the young ones die when

a day or two old. Now and then I find several eggs laid in one nest

and the birds not sitting at all. I have tried to hatch the eggs under

Barbary Doves but without success, though the eggs are generally

fertile.


It is the more disappointing as in their earlier years—in the

same aviary—these Brush Bronze-wings used to rear such fine

young birds.


The Diamond Doves in this house did the worst of all my

four nesting pairs. They only reared two young ones : the hen was

shy and would often leave the nest, though I think she generally

returned to it later.


The hen Solitary Ground Dove I have had eleven years. I

put her into this aviary in the summer because she was being

tormented by other birds in the next division and I w r as forced to

move her, though I very much dislike altering the arrangement of

the birds when once the season has^started. The Bronze-wings did

not at first care for the Solitary hen, but finally settled down. I

have, however, had to move her again just recently, as I found her

one day wdth her feathers plucked and only the Bronze-wings could

be the culprits.


The hen Solitary Ground Dove is a very rare Dove. I only

once remember seeing some offered for sale. This hen I bought for

5/-, she being offered me at that price as a rough plumaged unknown

Dove and I did not know at the time what she was. My delight at

getting her was great and as I had already a cock—bought under a

wrong name. They nested, but I only once reared one bird to full

maturity.


No. 4 DIVISION contained : 1 pair of Green-winged Doves :

a hen Madagascar Dove ; 2 cock Spotted Pigeons.



