TRIANGULAR SPOTTED PIGEON. 



Other writers make the following notes on this 

 pigeon : that it is partially migrant, "its appear- 

 ance and disappearance being coincident with the 

 ripening of forest fruits and berries;" it is said 

 to be ver}' difficult to observe when in the fig trees, 

 its plumage being much the same colour as the 

 leaves. The eggs are white, and two in number. 

 The cry of this pigeon "is a soft whistle; the flesh 

 is tender and of a delicate flavour." 



LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 



Of fruit pigeons I have only kept two kinds, 

 and neither of them for very long. One was a 

 large black and white pigeon, with feathered feet, 

 from Australia (probably a White Nutmeg or 

 Torres Straits pigeon), the other a beautiful 

 specimen of Vinago delandei sent direct to a friend 

 of mine by her brother out in Africa. 



My friend had no aviary, and, as "Chibwana" 

 was ailing, she asked me if I would take the bird 

 and see if I could bring it round. She told me that 

 he loved to be kept where the firelight fell on him, 

 evidently thinking it was sunshine, and would 

 now and then make a curious whistling sound. 



"Chib" arrived here one snowy day, and I did 

 my best to nurse him back to health, but all in 

 vain. It was evident he was not well, and at first 

 he seemed disinclined to eat, and was very shy 

 and nervous ; instead of walking he hopped about 

 in rather a clums}' fashion. He could eat nothing 

 but boiled maize, though I tried chopped apple, 

 dates, and figs. For a time he seemed better, and 

 then again worse, and I decided, as it seemed a 

 case of kill or cure, 1 would give him a course of 

 pigeon pills and tonic (though doubtful how they 

 would suit a Fruit pigeon). For a time the bird 

 greatly improved, and was a most docile patient 

 to nurse, but I think I started his cure too late, 

 for he died at the beginning of April ; had his case 

 been taken in hand sooner perhaps he might have 

 recovered, but to handle a sick nervous bird often 

 does more harm than good, and should not be 

 attempted unless the need is great. A specimen 

 of this beautiful pigeon was presented to the 

 Zoological Gardens in 1892. I do not think any 

 of the Fruit pigeons should be considered hardy. 



Mr. Swynnerton, who kept this particular Fruit 

 pigeon in captivity in Africa, says of it, "They are 

 stolid birds these in my aviary, even when freshly 

 caught, allowing me to approach quite close before 

 moving, and merely staring stupidl}', though quite 

 evidently in fear. The call is a piping "Kureti, 

 Kureti, Kureti," followed by a harsh "Kurr-rr." 



TYPICAL PIGEONS. 



(Cohimhidae). 

 The Triangular Spotted Pigeon. 

 The Spotted (or Spot-winged) Pigeon. 

 The White Crowned Pigeon. 

 The Rufous Pigeon. 



TRIANGULAR SPOTTED PIGEON. 



{Columba guinea). 



Habitat. — West Africa, from Senegal to Angola, 

 and across Central Africa to East Africa, from 

 Uniamnezi to Abyssinia, Sennaar, and Kordofan. 



Length. — About 13 inches. Shape, very strong, 

 rather upright carriage. 



Colouring. — Principally dark ash grey, the neck 

 reddish, the tips of the feathers being bifid. The 

 wings are covered with white spots, triangular in 

 shape, giving the bird a very distinctive look. 

 There is a patch of bare red skin round the eye, 

 the iris is also red, and so are the feet and legs. 

 The sexes are very much the same in colouring, 

 but the cock is rather larger and thicker looking 

 than the hen ; her spots on the wings are duller 

 and smaller, and the naked skin round the eye not 

 so large. 



WILD LIFE. 



Dr. Hopkinson tells us that the Triangular 

 Spotted pigeon is known in Africa by the name of 

 the Rhun pigeon from its fondness for building in 

 the tall Rhun palms, and that the bird is only 

 found in these parts where this palm tree grows. 

 This pigeon is particularly common on McCarthy's 

 Island and the district round it ; the note is a long 

 drawn out "Ku," followed by a series of shorter 

 ones — Ku-ku-ku-ku. 



Von Henglin says that this pigeon frequents 

 forests, mountains and plains, houses and ruins ; it 

 builds on the roofs of buildings, and in Abyssinia is 

 the common domestic pigeon ; it also nests in the 

 Dolib palm trees. The Triangular is seen either 

 in pairs or small flocks, feeding upon the roads or 

 in the stubbles, and coming in the evening to drink 

 at the pools ; it breeds in our winter. We are also 

 told that in its wild state this pigeon is very 

 destructive to crops, and a great pest to the 

 farmers, only leaving the fields when they retire 

 to roost in the woods and rocks. 



LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 



I have only kept two specimens of this hardy 

 pigeon, and found both my cock and hen very- 

 harmless towards other inmates of the aviary ; but 

 they are too large birds for anywhere but a roomy 

 place, and this is the chief reason why I have 

 ceased to keep them. At the time I had my birds, 

 some years ago, they were worth about 20/- a pair, 

 but they have gone down in price, and lately I saw- 

 some offered for sale for almost less than half this 

 sum, whilst a pair in rough plumage w-ere 

 only 7/6. 



The late Mr. O. E. Cresswell wrote in January, 

 1907 (in describing a visit to the Jardin D'acclima- 

 tation in Paris), that the Triangular Spotted 

 pigeon is "seldom to be met with in England, and 

 then far too dear." There were several specimens 



