274



On the Nesting of the Rufous Dove.



Now that the young Rufous were out, I could see them

better. Their length was about seven inches, their beaks were

long and dark horn-coloured, the feet and legs dark crimson, the

two outer feathers on each side of the tail tipped with white.

On the wings were light brown spots or marks, (like those on

a young Violet Dove); the eyes were like those of all young

doves—dark, and with a very innocent look about them.


Meanwhile, the poor Green Doves had lost both their

young ones when only a few days old. They used to watch the

young Rufous with hungry eyes, and one day I was touched to

see the Green cock timidly preening their feathers. When he

found the little birds did not mind, he proceeded further, and

started to feed them as well. As their own parents fed them

well too it is no wonder the young Rufous thrived. “ Millie,”

the hen Rufous, is a very loving motherly sort of bird. She

preened the young Bronzewings, was devoted to her own young

ones, and lavished the most affectionate caresses on her husband.


In another division of the same aviary was a case of great

contrast. A poor little Necklace Dove, just about the same age

as the young Rufous, but getting weaker and weaker through

the inattention of its parents, who had no affection for it, and

were starting to nest again. At last I could stand their neglect no

longer, and seeing the young Necklace would die if left with its

parents, I determined to try it in the house where the Rufous

were. I put the little Necklace on the floor, but it was so weak

it could hardly stand. I saw the eye of the Green cock light up

with pleasure, but he evidently did not dare to come to the

rescue, though he was burning to do so, for he stands rather in

awe of Millie. She acted very promptly, and at once took the

matter in her own hands—or rather beak—for she went straight

up to the young Necklace and began to feed it. It was very

grateful, but Millie was evidently puzzled to find it so weak after

her robust young ones, and still more perplexed when it tried to

nestle under her for warmth. She was very gentle with it, but

she could not well stay brooding it on the aviary floor all night,

so eventually I got a pair of Barbary Doves and gave the Neck¬

lace to them. They took kindly to it, but it had got too weak

to recover, and died later.



