THE VIOLET (OR WHITE-FRONTED) DOVE. 



83 



LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 



Of all the many kinds of doves I have kept, 

 there is none I love so much as the Violet dove. 

 To see a fine male bird in perfect plumage is a 

 feast to one's eyes; the snowy whiteness of the 

 breast, the glorious beauty of the neck, no words 

 can describe; it must be seen to be realised. 



My first pair of Violet doves came to me in 

 October, 1901, they being then very rare in Eng- 

 land. A gentleman had privately imported a few, 

 and one of these was exhibited at the Crystal 

 Palace Show in that year. I paid 25/- for my pair 

 of birds; neither could fly, and one of them, a few 

 months later, broke its leg and died. My third 

 bird was a splendid specimen that I paid 22/6 for. 

 He had been hand-reared b}' the natives, and was 

 one of the finest birds I have ever seen, but to my 

 disappointment he would not take to my remain- 

 ing bird. 



In the meantime, seeing my new arrival had 

 begun to pine away, I wrote to try and procure 

 his original mate, but I was too late ; she had been 

 sold to a lady in Germany. In April, 1902, how- 

 ever, my friend recei\'ed one odd bird, in a con- 

 signment of birds and reptiles that nearly all 

 perished on the wa)-, through delay in transit. 



I was warned before getting this bird that it 

 was in terrible condition though health}', but half 

 a Violet was better than none at all, though I inust 

 confess to feeling a great shock when, on diving" 

 into the travelling hamper, I fetched up about the 

 most featherless bird I have ever come across ; it 

 gave me quite a creep}' feeling. But the bird was 

 healthy enough, and after a few months' nursing 

 came round, and \'er}' fortunately proved a hen. 



Both I and my beautiful cock "Narcissus" were 

 delighted, and at once, on seeing her, he began 

 bowing to the ground and cooing, puffing out his 

 neck till it was a sheen of rainbow colours. 



The birds soon began to nest, but though the 

 eggs were fertile something always happened — the 

 eggs were gnawed, broken, or thrown out. The 

 birds sat well, but were very fond of both sitting" 

 together on the nest, a proceeding always fraught 

 with danger to the eggs. At last I had so many 

 disappointments that I determined I would not 

 allow myself to hope any longer ; it was always the 

 same story repeated, and "he that is down need 

 fear no fall." I would let the Violets do what they 

 liked, but I would not expect anything from them. 



This went on until the second week in June, 

 1903, when two young birds were hatched. The 

 doves had been perpetually laying eggs and sitting 

 since the middle of February in that year, and I 

 believe a good deal of their failure was due to a 

 little .Combasou who gnawed the eggs. Unfortu- 









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Fig. 3. 



Violet or White-fronted Dove. 

 I. — Young Cock. 

 2. — Young Birds just left nest. 

 3. — Old Cock, Hen, and Young Cock. 



From The AviaiUural Magazine. 



