62 MY FOREIGN DOVES AND PIGEONS. 
iris the most beautiful shade of lilac surrounded 
with pale straw colour. The hen is not nearly so 
grey as the cock, being a much browner shade ; she 
is a little smaller than he is. The shape of the 
Picui is very trim and dainty. 
WILD LIFE. 
Dr. Butler tells of the Picui being usually seen 
in pairs, though now and then about twelve or 
more may be seen together. In their wild state 
these doves breed two or three times in the season ; 
che eggs—two in number—are small and white, 
and rather short in shape. Hudson says the ‘“‘coo”’ 
is rather loud and somewhat monotonous. The 
Picui is the smallest dove of the Argentine, where 
it frequents the neighbourhood of houses. 
LIFE IN CAPTIVITY. 
I have kept this sweet little dove for many years, 
and though I have never reared any young ones 
to maturity yet, I have had them up to three-parts 
grown, when they were very like the old birds, but 
not so grey as the cock, being browner, like the 
hen. I have found the cock Picuis vary very much 
in colour; one cock I had developed quite a 
quantity of black feathers; whether it was age, or 
the food had anything to do with it, I never dis- 
covered. Possibly it got more hemp than was good 
for it, as it lived in a mixed aviary with other 
birds. 
The Picui is not always safe to trust with other 
doves, even though they may be larger in size. I 
remember one particularly fierce little specimen I 
had—I think he of the black feathers—whose 
method of attack on a large dove was ingenious. 
Most doves when they fight lift up one wing, and, 
watching each other most intently, take their 
opportunity to strike with the uplifted wing; and 
a blow from a dove of average size is no light 
matter. If there is no fear of serious injury being 
done, I like to watch two doves having a sparring 
match, for they remind me of two fencers; and the 
one with the quickest eye and rcadiest wing should 
win. Often they will stand quite motionless for 
some time, watching for the first opportunity to 
strike. 
But the Picui, being so small, would have had 
no chance with a large rival in a combat of this 
kind, so he adopted the method of getting on to 
his opponent's back and raining blow after blow 
on the head of the unfortunate bird, who seemed 
powerless to shake him off, though very much the 
larger dove of the two. At present I have only 
one little cock, but he is a beautiful bird, the softest 
shade of pearl-grey. He is very good-tempered 
and spends all his time with the larger doves, 
seeming to like their companionship. His mate 
was murdered by a hen Barraband’s parrakeet. 
The late Mr. Cresswell found his Picuis liable to 
dying suddenly and from no apparent cause, but 
this has not been my own experience, though I look 
on the hens as delicate and very liable to egg- 
binding, even when well supplied with grit and 
cuttlefish bone. 
The Picui dove was first kept at the Zoo in 1883. 
It has been bred by different aviculturalists in 
England, and is worth about 15/- a pair, though 
a few years ago 20/- might have been paid for it. 
It should be kept in pairs if possible, as it is a dove 
that is greatly attached to its mate. At one time 
I had no less than seven specimens of this little 
dove in my aviaries, besides several others before 
and since. Sometimes I came across a strong hen 
who would nest without laying soft-shelled eggs 
or suffering from egg-binding, but others were just 
as delicate. 
I have spoken of the Picuis’ aggressiveness 
towards other doves, but now and again the right 
is on the tiny bird’s side; and then one cannot but 
admire his courage. I remember especially one 
instance: A pair each of Aurita and Picui doves 
were in one house, and the latter had built and 
were sitting well on two beautiful eggs. One 
night when J looked round [ found the hen Picui 
sitting, with the cock Aurita roosting on the edge 
of the nest; the cock Picui was outside in the 
flight looking miserable. Next day things were 
worse, for I found the Aurita in full possession of 
the nest, and the poor little Picui cock standing 
on his back and in his desperation trying to beat 
the intruder off with his wings. 
It was strange, because the Auritas had one 
young one of their own in another nest. I took 
away the Picuis and their eggs and tried to get 
them to settle in a large cage, but they would not. 
So I caught the Auritas and caged them, giving 
the Picuis their liberty again. In an instant they 
were back on the nest and seemed quite to under- 
stand. 
One of the most beautiful things about the Picui 
is the colour of its eye. Next time you have the 
chance hold one of these little doves in your hand, 
and examine closely this wonderful violet jewel in 
the little grey head; you will marvel at its beauty. 
The Picui is a tender little bird, as indeed are 
all tiny doves; they should always be brought in 
during the winter. 
PASSERINE GROUND DOVE. 
(Chamoepelia Passerina), 
Flabitat.—South Atlantic and Gulf States, 
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, south 
to the West Indies, and through Central America 
to South America, as far as Peru and Paraguay. 
