36 



MY FOREIGN DOVES AND PIGEONS. 



In the same desk is my birds' "Visitors' Book," 

 where all who come to see my birds record the 

 date, their name and address, and the bird they like 

 best. It is interesting to keep as a remembrance, 

 and to see which birds are the most popular. I 

 think the Bleeding Hearts are an easy first now 

 that my Masked parrakeet "Dick," the dearest 

 and most loving bird I ever had, is dead. 



I owe many kind friends my very grateful 

 thanks for the generous help they have given me 

 in writing this book. My birds have brought me 

 many friends, not only in England, but in far off 

 lands. Some of these friends I have corresponded 



CHAPTER IV. 



SUB-FAMILY TRERONINAE. 



(Vinago Delalandei). 



FRUIT PIGEON. 



{Vinago Delandei). 

 Habitat. — Eastern and southern 



Africa, from 



No. 4 Aviary. 



with for years but have never met, perhaps that 

 may be a pleasure in store in the future, one can- 

 not tell. 



Bird keeping — for love of the birds — is a hobby 

 to be in every way encouraged — it not only gives 

 us pleasure, but does us good also — for surely the 

 old words are still true, that 



He prayeth best who loveth best 

 All things both great and small. 

 For the dear God who loveth us — 

 He made and loveth all. 



I feel I cannot close this portion of my little 

 book with fitter lines. 



Mombasa to Kaffraria and inland as far as the 



Nyassa. 

 Length. — iVbout 12 inches. In shape, strongly 



built, but rather clumsy. 



Colouring. — Bright grass green, with a dark 

 purple patch on each shoulder: 

 green head, washed with grey 

 and purple, thighs and uuder- 

 parts bright canary yellow. The 

 basal half of the beak scarlet, 

 the remaining half Ught slate 

 colour. The eyes light blue, the 

 feet and legs scarlet. 



V/ILD LIFE. 



Mr. T. Ayres writes of this 



bird : "I found these handsome 



pigeons somewhat scarce in the 



Magaliesbergen in winter; but 



my brother tells me they are 



exceedingly plentiful there during 



our summer months when wild 



fruits abound ; they are found 



in densely f oUaged trees, keeping 



very quiet if anyone approaches ; 



and often one may walk quietly 



right under the trees where they 



are, when they dart out suddenly, 



generally one at a time. They 



are sometimes solitary, but often 



in small flocks : Their food 



consists entirely of small 



berries." 



During Mr. Jameson's expedition to the 



Mashona country this species was procured on the 



Umvuli River in August and September ; it feeds 



on the wild fruits which the Boers call the Moople, 



the tree of which is handsome and dark-foliaged, 



and grows here and there along the banks of the 



river. The pigeons are also very fond of an insipid 



wild fig, about the size of a walnut. 



Another writer, Mr. Swynnerton, also speaks of 

 this pigeon as being generally found feeding on 

 the wild fruits and figs ; it seldom descends below 

 the upper branches of the trees. He mentions the 

 fact that there are two broods reared in the year, 

 young birds being brought to him in October, and 

 eggs being found in January. The nests are very 

 frail, made of sticks, and built about 10 ft. from 

 the ground, usually in the large wild fig trees 

 scattered about the open country. 



