SENEGAL TURTLE-DOVE. 55 
in the shelter, and carried up dried heather con- 
tinually. I suppose I was probably too shy of 
disturbing them to inspect what the birds were 
really after; anyhow, it was not until some time 
later that I found the birds had piled up quite a 
pyramid of heather, with eggs laid at intervals in 
the pile. Evidently they had made one nest and 
laid, then tempted at seeing fresh heather had 
added more on the top of the eggs and laid again, 
and repeated this foolishness until I discovered it. 
The Necklaces nested under great difficulties, for 
they had two persistent enemies—first the Crested 
doves, and later the Auritas. The first-named kept 
taking the nests from the Necklaces and sitting 
upon the eggs, the rightful owners being power- 
less to resist, so that at last I was obliged to take 
the intruders away to another aviary. The cock 
Aurita had another method of torment: he would 
hide regularly in the shelter, and when the Neck- 
laces, but particularly the cock, came down to feed, 
he would dart out and drive them off, and then 
retire to his hiding-place to await his next oppor- 
tunity. This happened so often and interfered so 
with the rearing of the young birds that I was 
driven to placing food and water in the spare nest 
pans close to the Necklaces’ nest; they were very 
grateful, and the cock began to feed at once. The 
Aurita then changed his plans, and grew bold 
enough to try and attack the nest itself, but being 
a coward as well as a bully he was no match for 
the old cock on the higher level. 
It really was amusing (because no harm ever 
came of it) to watch the cock Necklace guarding 
the hen on the nest, never taking his eyes off his 
enemy, who would come creeping up to him 
through the branches. Suddenly there would be a 
raising of wings, a sharp interchange of blows, 
and the Aurita would invariably fly off discom- 
fited, leaving the victor triumphant. 
The young Necklace doves have grey heads, pale 
vinaceous breasts, the rest of the plumage brown 
with faint lighter spots on the wings; they have 
no checked neck collar at first. Although on the 
whole the old birds were excellent parents, yet they 
failed to rear their young ones many times. I 
have known the hen ill-treat one of her own young 
ones till I had to take the poor little thing away; 
and again, if there were two young ones, the 
parents would possibly feed one and neglect the 
other. There is as much difference of character in 
birds as in human beings, and a bird, however 
ugly, that is a good nesting bird is invaluable. 
Such a bird is my hen Aurita that I have already 
told you of. 
I once bred some beautiful Necklace Senegal 
hybrids; they were very handsome birds. Now I 
have no Necklaces, but I sometimes think I will 
keep them again. Several were recently let out 
loose into the Zoo grounds as dan experiment to see 
if they would breed there, but I do not know how 
they thrived. The Necklace dove was kept at the 
Gardens in 1884; its value is 12/6 to 15/- a pair, 
and it is imported fairly often and does not seem 
affected by the cold, but should not be allowed to 
nest in winter, or the hens may die from egg- 
binding. 
SENEGAL TURTLE-DOVE. 
(Turtur Senegalensis). 
Habitat.—The whole of the African Continent, 
Secotra, common on the Orange River and Grand 
Namaqualand, Senegal, and the Canary Islands. 
Length.—About 11 inches. Shape, medium 
build, well proportioned. 
Colouring.—The head, neck, and breast a soft 
vinous, almost red-brick ; the underparts white, the 
lower back and wings ash grey; the back is a 
blending of the grey and vinous; the tail black, 
white and grey; the bill dusky black, with a slight 
vinous shade; the iris orange-red, the legs pinkish- 
red. The hen is somewhat smaller and duller in 
colouring; both birds have round the front and 
sides of the neck a collar of small black checks. 
It is unusual in doves to find the collar in this 
position—it is generally round the back of’ the 
neck, not the front. 
WILD LIFE. 
The Senegal dove seems to prefer the haunts of 
man to the wilder parts, for it breeds not only in 
trees and hedges, but in rafters, walls, ruins and 
churches, and in the midst of towns and villages. 
It is found in the Mimosa bush along the 
Tugela, and Captain Horsburgh says it is very 
common about Bloemfontein, and is generally seen 
singly. It breeds almost all the year round, the 
nest being made of twigs and roots, like most other 
doves’ nests. The eggs are white and two 
generally laid at a sitting. 
LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 
The Senegal is one of the most popular of doves 
to keep in an aviary, for it is hardy, not too large, 
and breeds freely, besides being very pretty. But 
it has two bad faults—it is not always good- 
tempered to other doves whilst it is nesting—I 
have even known it turn on one of its own young 
ones, plucking and beating it—and it is given to 
laying eggs and then after a time deserting them, 
probably with the desire to nest again. 
The colouring of the Senegal varies very much 
according to the district the birds come from. 
Some birds are larger than others, and in these the 
red shade prevails over the grey. The smaller and 
