38 MY FOREIGN DOVES AND PIGEONS. 
in the Paris gardens, and our own Regent’s Park 
collection possessed a bird (or birds) as far back as 
1865. Young ones were bred there in 1885 and 
many times since. My own birds never nested. 
The coo of the cock was most peculiar, almost like 
the barking of a small dog. 
THE SPOTTED OR SPOT-WINGED PIGEON. 
(Columba maculosa), 
Habitat.—Souih \merica, Uruguay, Argentina, 
and Patagonia. 
Length.—About 14 inches. 
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  buffish 
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. 
Shape, very finely 
WILD LIFE. 
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 Jong drawn-out 
notes. 
LIFE JN CAPTIVITY. 
J 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 Woburn 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 
VA HLPE-CROWNED PIGEON. 
Photo by Mr. D. Seth-Smith. 
From The Avicullural Magazine 
itself pale buffish 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 
