128 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



other, the males in particular pecking at and annoying 

 the females. See Plate 23, Fig. 137. 



The Ring, or Barbary Dove is a near relative 

 of the Turtle Dove and is met with from Constanti- 

 nople to India. The so-called "Turtle Dove," so com- 

 monly kept in cages, is really the Barbary Dove, 

 though the domesticated birds now form a race apart 

 from the wild species. See Plate 22, Fig. 130. 



The Fruit Pigeons of the Old World constitute a 

 very large family, divided into many sub-families. 

 They are of considerable size, and, as their common 

 name implies, feed almost exclusively upon fruit. It 

 is quite probable, however, that they also feed upon 

 seeds, roots and insects. 



The Nicobar Pigeon is an East Indian species, 

 chiefly remarkable for the long, pointed, iridescent 

 feathers growing from each side of the neck — a rich 

 greenish blue in colour and very brilliant. 



Another common East Indian form is the Blood- 

 breasted, a rather small species having a crown of 

 feathers and a conspicuous red spot, closely resembling 

 blood, in the centre of the breast. 



The largest of all living Pigeons is the Goura, or 

 Crowned Pigeon, a native of New Guinea and some 

 of the neighbouring islands, and a familiar bird in zoo- 

 logical collections. This bird has a beautiful crest 

 composed of soft, filmy feathers which rise stiffly in a 

 fan shape over the head and back of the neck, and is 

 always erect. The Goura is about the size of a small 

 Goose, but is quite differently shaped from that bird 

 and has a short, thick neck like the other members of 

 its family. It has a curious habit of shaking its tail 



