DOVES 187 



The young are devoid of feathers and very weak and 

 helpless when hatched. 



The first family {Treronidce) contains the Green Fruit 

 Pigeons, distinguished from the second family by the posses- 

 sion of fourteen tail feathers. 



The Southern Green Fruit Pigeon {Vinago delalandii) is 

 of a general green colour, excepting a broad collar of drab 

 and the wing-quills, which are black ; below the colour is 

 of a greyer tinge mottled with yellow on the abdominal 

 portion ; the " shoulder " is washed with pinkish. Length, 

 1 foot. 



This bird extends from British East Africa southwards to 

 the forests of the Eastern Cape Colony. In the Albany 

 division it is decidedly uncommon, being, however, a little 

 more plentiful' in Pondoland. 



It is a partial migrant, its appearance and disappearance 

 being coincident with the ripening of forest fruits and 

 berries. It is especially fond of the wild fig, amongst the 

 branches of which the bird is very difficult of detection, 

 owing to the harmony existing between the coloration of 

 its plumage and that of the foliage. 



The cry is a soft whistle and the flesh is tender and of a 

 delicate, flavour. It builds the usual dove-like type of nest 

 — ^a platform of sticks — and, according to Ayres, lays white 



The members of the second family {Columhidce) possess 

 only twelve tail-feathers. 



The Speckled or Eock Pigeon {Columba phceonota) has the 

 head, neck, rump and tail slate-grey, back maroon ; wings 

 slatey mottled with white, below slate-grey. The naked 



