320 Mr. T. H. Nkwman,


edges of clearings or where there is open waste land in the

neighbourhood of trees, that it feeds on wild fruits, such as figs

and berries, but like most of its congeners, does not fail to take

toll of grain crops when opportunity affords ; and that it lives in

pairs during the nesting season, but unites in flocks afterwards.


Three fine specimens came into my possession on the 4th'

April 1906, consisting of a pair and an odd hen. The pair came

with the reputation of nesting too fast, and so neglecting the

young of the previous nest. I am glad to say they have not

done this since. I cannot say that I can see any appreciable

difference in the size of the sexes, though individuals differ in

this respect, but the cocks seem to be a good deal more ashy on

the crown, the hens being more slatey there.


They seem rather wild by nature and to want a lot of

space, as they dash about in a very lumbering way when alarmed.

I have found them very peaceable birds for Turtle - Doves,

seldom fighting and allowing birds very much smaller than

themselves to live with them without interference. At first my

birds showed no signs of nesting, but were kept in fear and

trembling by a rather fierce Deceptive Dove : he was removed,

and within a week the first egg made its appearance. Every

single nest has been made ever since in the same zinc bowl,*

which is about seven feet from the ground on a bundle of faggots

close to the glass roof of the open shelter which protects the

inner house of the aviary they are in. The eggs, as I have

invariably found to be the case with all doves, are laid the first

one towards the evening, then a day is missed and the second

egg appears on the following morning.


The eggs are white and rather coarse-grained, and are

remarkably small for the size of the bird. I have ten examples

before me, laid by three hens : they vary a good deal in size, but

are all rounded, in some it is hard to say which is the smaller

end. I have some eggs laid by Common Turtle x Barbary and

Necklace X Barbary hybrids, birds much smaller than the Half-

collared Doves, which are distinctly larger than any of these.

This may be accounted for by what I consider the most extra-


* Since writing the above, a fresh nesting site has been selected, — T. H. N.



