48 MY FOREIGN DOVES AND PIGEONS. 
ENGLISH TURTLE-DOVE. 
(Turtur Turtur). 
Habitat.—Western Palaeartic Region; Africa in 
winter as far south at least as Shoa, and Asia as 
far east as Yarkand. 
Length.—.\bout 11 inches. 
proportioned. 
Colouring.—Adult male—Head, nape, wing- 
coverts, rump, and flanks, soft bluish grey. On 
each side of the neck a collar or large patch of 
black feathers with ashy-white edges. The back 
pale brown; lower back, rump, and upper tail- 
coverts brown, more or less ashy; chin nearly 
white, throat and breast vinous, changing into 
white on the under-parts. The wings are chiefly 
brown, each feather having a broad cinnamon 
edge, giving the wings a beautiful laced appear- 
ance; the quill feathers of the wings brown edged 
with a lighter shade; the centre tail feathers are 
brown, the remainder greyish black and white. 
The feet are red, the iris reddish brown, the skin 
round the eye red. The female is rather smaller 
than the male, and the plumage less bright and 
pure. 
Shape, very well 
WILD LIFE. 
This beautiful little dove is migratory, arriving 
in England early in May and leaving us again in 
September for Southern Europe and Africa. Two 
eggs are laid, the nest being built of twigs, 
generally in a pine or beech tree, seldom in a bare 
exposed situation. There are two or three broods 
in the season (which is from May to August), and 
the young ones are hatched in about 17 days. In 
its wild state the Turtle feeds on ‘‘corn of all kinds, 
and the seeds of coniferw, alders, beech, and other 
trees.”’? It is said even to eat acorns and small 
snails. Just before migration these doves gather 
in flocks in the open fields. Though common in 
England, this dove is rare in Scotland or Ireland. 
LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 
My first pair of Turtles were bought in 1898, and 
a few weeks after I procured a second pair; these 
last were said to be ‘‘mouth reared,’’ but though 
finer and older birds, they were never so tame as 
my first pair. These two birds were named 
“Jamie’’ and ‘“‘Dot,’? and it was only some time 
afterwards that I found I had mistaken the cock 
for the hen. They were very tame, and the hen 
“Jamie’’ specially loved to nestle in my hand to be 
petted. They nested and laid eggs, but from 
various causes I never reared any young ones. 
I often stood quite close to the nest, and one of 
the birds would come on my hand for a few hemp 
seeds, and when it had had its share would change 
places with the sitting bird in the nest, and let it 
come for its share of hemp too. They did it all 
very seriously, and it was very pretty to see the 
eager impatient look of the dove in the nest if the 
other seemed rather longer than usual, or taking 
more than its due share of hemp. 
Once ‘Jamie’? was very ill, she vomited some 
colourless fluid, and two days later laid a soft- 
shelled egg; a second one laid was quite normal. 
Dr. Greene considered that the Turtle-dove nested 
in captivity with more readiness than any of the 
English doves; but though he notes that the birds 
are good parents, vet when ready to nest again he 
found them very cruel to the first brood, driving 
them about and otherwise maltreating them. 
The young birds of the year are browner than 
their parents, the rufous edgings to the wing 
feathers are broader and duller; there are no dark 
patches on the sides of the neck; the throat and 
breast are pale ash. J once saw a Turtle caught 
in Herefordshire, and was much struck with its 
general vinous shade as compared to my own 
birds. The cost of a pair of Turtle-doves is from 
5/- to 7/6. These doves were first kept at the Zoo 
in 1863, and were bred there in 1878. A pair 
presented in May, 1880, were caught at sea, 
probably perching on the ship to rest when tired 
out, 
THE BARBARY TURTLE-DOVE. 
(Turtur risorius). 
Habitat.—Southern Europe, Western Asia and 
various parts of Africa. It has so long been 
domesticated in England that its original habitat 
has become rather uncertain. 
Length.—About 10 inches. 
but well proportioned. 
Colouring.—General colour biscuit (though 
individual specimens vary, and some are quite a 
pale cream shade). The long wing quills, and 
rump and upper tail feathers are greyish drab. 
Under parts and under tail feathers white. Black 
collar, slightly edged with a narrow white line 
above, round the hinder neck. The beak lead 
colour, feet crimson, eyes rich orange-red. The 
hen is practically the same colour as the cock, but 
a little smaller in size and not so thickly built. 
Shape, rather long, 
LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 
The Barbary or Laughing dove, so called from 
its peculiar coo, is so domesticated in England that 
little is known of its wild life, all specimens being 
aviary-bred in this country. It is a dove that is 
easy to keep, and to breed; also, it is long-lived, 
and will live happily either in an aviary or in an old 
soap box converted with a little wire netting into 
a cage. I have known some people, however, who 
