242 
Jamaica Pea Dove. 
ways got ofT when I passed and attacked me by hopping- just 
in front of me and peeking at 'my 1»ots. The first chick was 
hatched on August 1st, and while I was in the aviary T saw 
the cock deliberately roll the other egg out of the nest and 
peck at it till he released a living chick which he cast some 
way from the nest. I replaced it Ixit it was immediately 
again discarded. The first chick is now 10 days old, well fed, 
and feathering nicely. It is possible that a similar thing 
happened with the previous nest, as only one young bird was 
found. This bird is now alx)ut six weeks old, and is similar 
in every way to the adult except that the feathers are not 
so glossy and the purplish spots under the ear coverts are 
not very well marked and more of a chocolate colour as far 
as I can judge without handling it. Gosse says of these birds 
that they nest in trees, that they are timid in captivity, also 
irritable and pugnacious. My pair must be an exception as 
all three nests were on the ground and they are most fearless 
and confiding (Gosse's birds were kept in a cage. — Ed.) and 
allow me to stroke and handle them. They certainly are pug- 
nacious when nesting, but I have never seen them attack 
other birds except doves, and even these not persistently. 
They spend most of their time on the ground but are fre- 
quently to be seen perching. They seem fond of water and 
during heavy rain I have often seen them perched side by 
side each with a wing widely distended upwards to the wind 
and rain. Gosse mentions a common habit these birds have 
of jerking the head forward, followed immediately by an up- 
ward flirt of the tail. "With regard to food they are quite 
haippy with the ordinary Dove mixture but do not eat a 
great deal; they are also very fond of blow -fly pupae, but 
do not touch the gentles. I can not tell the difference be- 
tween the sexes except perhaps the cock is broader across 
the back and not so slim as his mate. They are handsome 
birds especially on the wing. 
The following extracts from Gosse's " Birds of Jam- 
aica," will probably prove of interest. 
"'The open paaturos, or the g^rassy glades of pimento 
" pens, are the favourite haunts of this pretty nnve, where it 
"walks on the ground, singly or in pair);. . . . The Pea 
" Dove is frequently seen in the middle of dusty high-roads, hut 
" whether for the purpose of dusting, or to procure gravel, I 
