318 Mr. T. H. Newman,


THE HALF-COLLARED TURTLE DOVE.


Turtur semitorquatus.

By T. H. Newman, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.


This handsome bird is the largest of all the Turtle-Doves,

though the Eastern Turtle {Turtur orientalis) may approach it in

size, and the Double-collared Turtle {Ttirhir bitorquatus) surpass

it in length, it is nevertheless a much more bulky bird than

either of them.


It also probably has the widest range of any Turtle-Dove,

as it is found in suitable localities all over Africa from about 14

N, lat-. Southwards.


Briefly it may be described as a bird with the whole upper

surface of the body dark brown, the outer wing-coverts passing

into bluish slate colour, two central tail feathers dark brown, the

lateral ones brown grey with a blackish band about the middle,

and pale grey towards the tips ; there is 110 white on the outer

edges of the outermost tail feathers ; the under tail-coverts,

leaden-grey ; the breast, back of head and cheeks, deep vinous

pink ; the crown, grey, lighter towards the forehead ; and a broad

black collar more or less bordered with grey on the hind neck ;

iris seems to range from orange red to salmon pink ; bill, black,

a little dark red at the gape ; feet, carmine ; broad bare skin

round the eye, dark purple carmine, hence the usual name in S.

Africa for this bird of Red-eyed Turtle-Dove, which however

may lead to confusion with Turtur decipiens ambiguus, Bocage's

Red- eyed Dove.


Though this bird must have been familiar to thousands ot

travellers, not very much about its wild life seems to have been

recorded ; the following accounts are among the more recent.

Reichenow, in the first volume of his great work, " Die Vogel

Afrikas," writes: " These large doves are very noticeable through

the dark colouring of the upper surface, inhabit the fields by

Tabora (German East Africa), especially at the beginning of the

maize and mtama harvest. They usually nest 011 the parched

trees which are scattered about everywhere. Their muffled

' huhu huhu huahud ' in which the last note is the loudest and

highest, resounds also from the thick foliage of the forest edge.



