ti2 



MY FOREIGN DOVES AND PIGEONS. 



iris the most beautiful shade of lilac surrounded 

 with pale straw colour. The hen is not nearly so 

 grey as the cock, being a much browner shade ; she 

 is a little smaller than he is. The shape of the 

 Picui is very trim and dainty. 



WILD LIFE. 



Dr. Butler tells of the Picui being usually seen 

 in pairs, though now and then about twelve or 

 more may be seen together. In their wild state 

 these doves breed two or three times in the season ; 

 the eggs — two in number — are small and white, 

 and rather short in shape. Hudson says the "coo" 

 is rather loud and somewhat monotonous. The 

 Picui is the smallest dove of the Argentine, where 

 it frequents the neighbourhood of houses. 



LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 



I have kept this sweet little dove for many years, 

 and though I have never reared any young ones 

 to maturity yet, I have had them up to three-parts 

 grown, when they were very like the old birds, but 

 not so grey as the cock, being browner, like the 

 hen. I have found the cock Picuis vary very much 

 in colour; one cock I had developed quite a 

 quantity of black feathers ; whether it was age, or 

 the food had anything to do with it, I never dis- 

 covered. Possibly it got more hemp than was good 

 for it, as it lived in a mixed aviary with other 

 birds. 



The Picui is not always safe to trust with other 

 doves, even though they may be larger in size. I 

 remember one particularly fierce little specimen I 

 had — I think he of the black feathers — whose 

 method of attack on a large dove was ingenious. 

 Most doves when they fight lift up one wing, and, 

 watching each other most intently, take their 

 opportunity to strike with the uplifted wing; and 

 a blow from a dove of average size is no light 

 matter. If there is no fear of serious injury being 

 done, I like to watch two doves having a sparring 

 match, for they remind me of two fencers ; and the 

 one with the quickest eye and readiest wing should 

 win. Often they will stand quite motionless for 

 some time, watching for the first opportunity to 

 strike. 



But the Picui, being so small, would have had 

 no chance with a large rival in a combat of this 

 kind, so he adopted the method of getting on to 

 his opponent's back and raining blow after blow 

 on the head of the unfortunate bird, who seemed 

 powerless to shake him off, though very much the 

 larger dove of the two. At present I have only 

 one little cock, but he is a beautiful bird, the softest 

 shade of pearl-grey. He is very good-tempered 

 and spends all his time with the larger doves, 

 seeming to lilie their companionship. His mate 

 was murdered by a hen Barraband's parrakeet. 



The late Mr. Cresswell found his Picuis liable to 

 dying suddenly and from no apparent cause, but 

 this has not been my own experience, though I look 

 on the hens as delicate and very liable to egg- 

 binding, even when well supplied with grit and 

 cuttlefish bone. 



The Picui dove was first kept at the Zoo in 1883. 

 It has been bred by different aviculturalists in 

 England, and is worth about 15/- a pair, though 

 a few years ago 20/- might have been paid for it. 

 It should be kept in pairs if possible, as it is a dove 

 that is greatly attached to its mate. At one time 

 I had no less than seven specimens of this little 

 dove in my aviaries, besides several others before 

 and since. Sometimes I came across a strong hen 

 who would nest without laying soft-shelled eggs 

 or suffering from egg-binding, but others were just 

 as delicate. 



I have spoken of the Picuis' aggressiveness 

 towards other doves, but now and again the right 

 is on the tiny bird's side ; and then one cannot but 

 admire his courage. I remember especially one 

 instance : A pair each of Aurita and Picui doves 

 were in one house, and the latter had built and 

 were sitting well on two beautiful eggs. One 

 night when I looked round I found the hen Picui 

 sitting, with the cock Aurita roosting on the edge 

 of the nest; the cock Picui was outside in the 

 flight looking miserable. Next day things were 

 worse, for I found the Aurita in full possession of 

 the nest, and the poor little Picui cock standing 

 on his back and in his desperation trying to beat 

 the intruder off with his wings. 



It was strange, because the Auritas had one 

 young one of their own in another nest. I took 

 away the Picuis and their eggs and tried to get 

 them to settle in a large cage, but they would not. 

 So I caught the Auritas and caged them, giving 

 the Picuis their liberty again. In an instant they 

 were back on the nest and seemed quite to under- 

 stand. 



One of the most beautiful things about the Picui 

 is the colour of its eye. Next time you have the 

 chance hold one of these little doves in your hand, 

 and examine closely this wonderful violet jewel in 

 the little grey head; you will marvel at its beauty. 



The Picui is a tender little bird, as indeed are 

 all tiny doves ; they should always be brought in 

 during the winter. 



PASSERINE GROUND DOVE. 



{Chamoepelia Passerina). 



Habitat.— South Atlantic and Gulf States, 



Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, south 



to the West Indies, and through Central America 



to South America, as far as Peru and Paraguay. 



