on the Half-Collared Tuiile Dove. 323


strong purple tinge, iris with a narrow ring of dull orange. The

feathers have not grown round the base of the bill yet. The

outer primaries are full grown but retain vestiges of their sheaths

at their base. The next one is just over ten weeks old. Nearly

all the smaller feathers have been renewed, and a few black

feathers of the collar are appearing on each side of the neck,

two primaries in each wing have been moulted and replaced by

full grown feathers ; skin round the eye bright carmine ; edges

of mandibles at gape carmine ; feet dark purple grey ; iris

narrow ring of pale orange. This is the biggest bird of the

three and was the only one reared by its own parents. The third

is just over fifteen weeks old, it has moulted all its smaller

feathers and has assumed the black collar, which is not however

so broad as in the adult. Nearly four primaries have been

renewed and several secondaries ; some tail feathers have also

been moulted, iris bright orange, skin round eye brighter red

than in the previous bird, and the feet are pink.


I have found the Half-collared Turtle wonderfully pro-

lific. My pair started nesting early in June 1906, and laid by the

end of November five pairs of eggs, from which six young were

reared, though not all by their parents. They started again in

January of this year and have so far laid seventeen eggs from which

the three above-mentioned young have been reared. As for

hardiness I need only mention that they were sitting in a

situation practically quite out in the open, except for a glass

roof, during the arctic spell we experienced in the beginning of

the year, bringing off a young bird, which however died the

following day. My birds are excellent sitters and bring up their

young ones splendidly. I have not yet had a weakly one, but

they are rather wild and will not stand interference: any unusual

occurrence in their compartment being sufficient to make them

desert their eggs. Young have been reared at least several times

before : my pair had bred before I had them.


The bird has several notes, each set being used for a par-

ticular purpose or purposes ; I find them very difficult to put

into words. When mated it is only the cock bird which is heard

to coo much, but an unmated hen is even more loquacious than— -

a cock and seems to be able to utter all his notes. All the



