NOTES ON THE BARB ARY DOVE 
1/5 
Though there are here four house cats, and often two dogs 
about the house and garden, these and the doves are all friendly 
together. Cats, and especially kittens, often amuse themselves 
by stalking and springing at these birds ; but this appears to be 
merely play, as I never knew one injured in this way. One dog, 
a Skye, who considers it his duty to drive trespassing fowls out 
of the garden, will, while chasing a hen, often rush right through 
a party of doves feeding on the ground ; but the latter hardly 
trouble themselves to get out of his way, or take any notice of 
him whatever. In fact, cats and doves are often to be seen 
feeding together. 
Our doves build on some of the trees growing about the 
house. A pair often select one particular horizontal branch of 
in ivy-covered elm which stretches across the road. Some kept 
at a farm about ten miles off have for years built in a large 
Picea pinsapo in the garden. These birds are great drinkers and 
bathers, and, like pigeons in general, seem to greatly enjoy 
a heavy shower. Sitting in some exposed place, they hold up 
one wing at a time in such a manner as to allow the rain to get 
underneath it. I once saw a dove drinking the dew from the 
twigs of a maple on which it was sitting. Last winter one was 
found vainly trying to bathe in a pan of water covered by a thick 
coat of ice. Though they will eat corn of most kinds, as well as 
the usual “ bird seeds,” such as canary, hemp, rape, &c., they 
seem to prefer maize to most things, notwithstanding the diffi- 
culty they have in swallowing it owing to its size. I have 
watched them picking up and eating the seeds of the nasturtium, 
and they are fond of ripe currants and elder- berries. Up to 
May 12, 1898, I had never suspected these birds of any liking 
for animal food. On that day, however, I saw a dove, which was 
within three yards of me, pick up and swallow a rather large 
earthworm which lay dead on the gravel path. I then dug 
up and threw to it another worm, which was also at once picked 
up and devoured : I should like to know whether this taste has 
been observed elsewhere. Their loud, musical coo heard early 
on a bright spring or summer morning, is a pleasing and 
cheerful sound. 
When the wild turtle doves arrive, we often hear their soft, 
tremulous voice blended with that of the Barbary doves. Occa- 
sionally one of the latter is seen chasing a wild dove among the 
trees of the orchard and plantation, but on the whole they agree 
very well together, for we sometimes see one or two wild turtle- 
doves feeding close to the door with the tame doves, and also 
among the fowls at the foot of the granary steps, sharing their 
dole of grain. It may not be generally known that both sexes of 
T. risorius coo ; but the voice of the hen bird is comparatively 
feeble, and entirely wanting in that full, resonant quality so 
conspicuous in that of the cock. The “ laugh,” which has given 
rise to the specific name is often heard just as the bird alights 
after a flight. 
