86 INDIAN PIGEONS AND DOVES 



"By about the end of September the Koklas appeared to be full- 

 grown ; and their irides, which were hitherto brown or greyish brown, now 

 assumed the characteristic coloration of the adult bird, viz., a pale blue 

 ring followed by an outer ring of red. As far as I can now recollect, the 

 birds had, up to this, uttered no note of any kind. As the migratory 

 period of this species had now arrived, I was anxious to see whether my 

 birds would exhibit those symptoms which are usually displayed by 

 roving birds when in confinement, but no such indications were 

 observed. The Koklas were as dull and inactive as ever, and seemed 

 quite reconciled to their home. 



"Towards the latter end of the following November, the cock began 

 uttering his notes, but these were incomplete, or, in the language of bird- 

 fanciers, he was only ' recording.' These ' half ' notes were generally 

 uttered late in the evenings between seven and eight p.m. 



" During the winter the birds throve excellently. Their diet still 

 consisted of pieces of plantains, which they would accept sitting on their 

 perches, and only from the hand of their mistress. If the fruit was placed 

 in the cage it was never touched. They were fed about four or five times 

 a day. They always drank water from a cup, which, like their food, had 

 to be held up to their mouths. When hungry, the birds always became 

 very active, hopping about from perch to perch and peering anxiously 

 at their mistress, if she happened to be standing near their cage. If no 

 notice was taken of them, or she walked away from their cage without 

 feeding them, they would settle down into their usual lethargic condition, 

 but immediately renewed their activities on catching sight of her ; the 

 presence of strangers or of others in the house was entirely ignored by 

 the birds. 



" Spring had now come, and the Koklas which were still sharing 

 their cage with the Doves, began to get unusually active. The cock kept 

 chasing the hen from perch to perch, and constantly uttered his melodious 

 notes, which were now complete. 



" Remembering the old adage that ' two is company,' and hoping 

 that under such a condition the Koklas might be induced to form a 

 matrimonial alliance, they were separated from the Doves and put into 

 another cage to the mutual advantage of both couples, and shortly 

 afterwards we witnessed the courtship of the male bird. He would utter 

 his notes, puff out his throat, expand his tail feathers, spread out his 

 wings, and hop from perch to perch with bowed head, uttering a low 



