DOVES 7 
exquisitely lovely. Yet their loveliness is not that of 
golden orioles and kingfishers, but rather of clouds and 
distant hills and soft sunsets,” 
There is, however, one marked exception, and that is 
the bronze-winged dove (Chalcophaps indica). This is 
a perfect rainbow of colour, and a full description of 
it would occupy half a page. It must suffice that, as it 
flashes through a shady glade, it appears to be a thing, 
now of emerald-green, now of coppery bronze. It is 
found only in the well-wooded parts of the country. 
The commonest species of dove in India is the spotted 
dove (Turtur suratensts). Looked at from a distance, 
it appears a plain, dingy, reddish-brown bird. Closer 
inspection reveals a russet-brown head and neck, set off 
by a black tippet spotted with white. The tail and 
wings are brownish with rufous spots. Its black-and- 
white cape suffices to distinguish it from all other kinds 
of dove. The ringdove (Zurtur risorius) is also a bird 
seen all over India. It is grey with a collar composed 
of a broad black band, bordered on each side by a 
narrow white one. It has a treble note co-co-coo. 
Doves are strict vegetarians, and they subsist chiefly 
upon grain. They seem to breed all the year round, and 
considering the number of the birds existing in India, 
one comes across remarkably few nests. It is not that 
doves take extraordinary precautions to conceal their 
nurseries. They build by preference in a dadul tree, 
which affords remarkably little cover. The nest escapes 
detection because it is not of strictly orthodox con- 
struction. Phil Robinson compares it to a heap of 
spillikins. According to him, if you would make an 
