38 



MY FOREIGN DOVES AND PIGEONS. 



in the Paris gardens, and ourown Regent's Parli 

 collection possessed a bird (or birds) as far baclv as 

 1865. Young ones were bred there in 1885 and 

 many times since. My own birds never nested. 

 The coo of the cocli was most peculiar, almost like 

 the barking of a small dog. 



THE SPOTTED OR SPOT-WINGED PIGEON. 



(Columba maculosa). 



Habitat. — South America, Uruguay, Argentina, 

 and Patagonia. 



Length. — About 14 inches. Shape, very finely 

 built, strong and upright. 



Colouring. — General colour grey, the shoulders 

 and upper wing coverts greyish brown. The upper 

 part of the wings are covered with huffish 

 triangular spots, showing very distinctly against 

 the darker background. The bill is grey, the feet 

 red, and the iris is light slate or whitish. There 

 are no iridescent feathers on the neck, but over 

 this portion, and the head and throat, is a faint 

 purple-pink bloom that is very pleasing. 



WILD LU'E. 



There is not much to note as to the wild life of 

 the Spotted pigeon. Dr. Butler tells us it is very 

 destructive to the crops in its own land, settling on 

 the fields and eating the wheat before it has had 

 time to sprout, and as the birds go about in large 

 flocks much damage is done by them. It is said 

 to feed largely on lucerne in its wild state, and 

 many young shoots have been found in the birds' 

 crops. The coo consists of five long drawn-out 

 notes. 



LIFE IN CAPrn'ITV. 



I have not kept this pigeon for very long myself, 

 so can give you no nesting notes about it. I con- 

 sider it a very handsome bird, for though the 

 colouring is not bright, yet it has a very 

 harmonious and striking effect, which is shown off 

 by the bird's fine shape and carriage. Though of 

 large size, I have found it very harmless towards 

 other doves — seeming to be more nervous than 

 aggressive. The Spotted pigeon was first kept at 

 Regent's Park in 1870, one specimen being pur- 

 chased in that year. It was bred there in 1894 and 

 many subsequent times since. The Duchess of 

 Bedford tells us that two pairs of these pigeons 

 were nesting out of doors at VVoburn in 1907 so 

 early as February. One nest contained eggs, the 

 other young birds, and both nests were built in 

 Araucaria trees. The old birds had been turned 

 out some two years previously. The value of the 

 Spotted pigeon is about 20/- a pair. 



THE WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON. 



(Columba leucocephala). 



Habitat. — Greater Antilles, Bahamas, and 

 Florida Keys; also Santa Cruz, St. Bartholomew, 

 Cozumel Islands, and the Coast of Honduras. 



Length. — About 14 inches. Shape, rather long, 

 but finely proportioned. 



Colouring. — The general colour of the adult 

 male is leaden grey, the back being a rather deeper 

 shade than the breast. The crown of the head is 

 white (extending just below the eye), bordered be- 

 hind with grey, the nape deep maroon ; the collar 

 below is very handsome, being metallic bronze- 

 green, changing in different lights, each feather 

 being bordered by an edge of black like velvet. 

 The naked skin round the eye is white, and the eye 



VVHITE-CKOWNED PlCEON. 



Pliolo by Mr. D. Seth-Smilli. 

 ryotti The Aviculiutal Magazine. 



itself pale huffish white, while the eyelids have red 

 edges ; the bill is greenish white, with carmine 

 cere. The feet are dull red. The hen is smaller 

 than the cock, her colouring duller, and the crown 

 of her head greyish. 



WILD LIFE. 



Shaw tells us that this pigeon feeds largely on 

 the berries of the sweet wood ; and resides amongst 

 the rocks, where it is found in great numbers. He 

 adds that the bird is very good eating when it has 

 been feeding on certain plants, but at other times 

 the flesh is very indifferent. 



In that delightful book of Gosse's on Jamaica 

 birds he also mentions that in the months of 



