57 



southern portion of Morocco ; but M. Favier does not record it from Tangier. Dr. C. Bolle 

 records it from trie Canaries, and says (J. f. O. 1857, p. 332) that "it is found every spring in 

 Fuerteventura, and must nest there. Senor Don Francisco Manrique, who lives permanently on 

 the above island, says that it most certainly inhabits the place. It is called there Tortola de 

 Africa ; and this is probably the reason which has led Ledru to the confusion with the tropical 

 Peristera afra." On the west coast it is recorded from Senegal; and Mr. H. T. Ussher writes 

 (Ibis, 1874, p. 71), it is "common in the eastern districts of the Gold Coast, and seems 

 especially fond of the immediate vicinity of houses or villages. All those shot by me were 

 obtained among the houses of Christiansborg and in the ruins of the fort, where they appear to 

 build in some numbers. They are also to be met with near the little villages of the interior 

 eastern districts ; but I have not seen them in Fantee." Andersson states (B. of Damara Land, 

 p. 232) that he met with it " abundantly from the Okavango river southwards throughout 

 Damara Land and Great and Little Namaqualand, as also at Lake N'gami." Mr. E. L. Layard 

 says (B. of S. Afr. p. 261) that it is found throughout the Cape colony. According to Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney it is only known to him to have once occurred at Natal ; but Dr. Kirk found it common 

 on the Zambesi. Mr. Blanford includes it his list of birds occurring in Persia, as seen only in 

 Baluchistan ; but Eichwald says that it inhabits the west coast of the Caspian from Persia to 

 Astrachan. Dr. Jerdon states (B. of India, ii. p. 479) that the present species is " found through- 

 out the greater part of India, not occurring in Ceylon, Malabar, or Lower Bengal, nor in the 

 countries to the eastwards, but very abundant in Central and especially in "Western India, also 

 in Sindh and the Punjab." Dr. SevertzofF says that it is resident in Turkestan ; but it was not 

 met with on the Yarkand expedition. 



In habits the present species is much tamer and more sociable even than the common Turtle 

 Dove, and especially so in Mahometan countries, where it is never molested and inhabits the 

 gardens and courtyards in a semidomesticated state. Dr. A. E. Brehm, speaking of the habits of 

 this bird, says (Erg. Reise Habesch, p. 376) that it is never met with in such large flocks as the 

 Rock-Dove, but is quite as numerous as that species, and is found everywhere, both in the palm- 

 groves and in every large garden in the middle of the villages and towns, and is never molested 

 by the natives. It nests, without any attempt at concealment, often in a bush scarcely five feet 

 above the ground; and he has frequently found nests on which the old bird was sitting, who 

 when discovered evinced no sign of alarm, but remained quietly on her eggs, evidently certain 

 that she would not be molested. Captain Shelley also writes (B. of Egypt, p. 217) respecting 

 this species in Egypt as follows : — " It is very sociable and tame, and not so fast on the wing as 

 the other species. In every palm-grove pairs may be seen sitting together on the long leaf-stems ; 

 and in the villages they may be found strutting along the mud walls which form the native 

 houses. They have begun breeding by the end of February, both in trees and on the ground by 

 the side of banks." Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., sends me the following note: — "The Palm-Dove 

 (Turtur senegalensis) frequents every kind of bush and tree. Hundreds of them roost in some 

 orange-trees at a village near Benisouef ; and a grove of dwarf palms is often a favourite resort. 

 In the towns and villages there are always many ; and it is usually the first bird one sees on 

 landing at Alexandria, as they perch on the boats in the harbour. A pair settled one day on the 

 awning of the diabeyha ; and on another occasion one actually came into the cabin. The young 



