Carl Naether—Breeding Activities of Foreign Doves 261


On 20th June I found the second setting of eggs which, however,

was left three days later when a 5-ft. gopher snake, which incidentally

devoured three Canary nestlings, disturbed all the occupants of this

particular aviary. Fortunately I caught the snake promptly. The

third setting of eggs came 1st July. The male Green-wing still guards

the now full-grown youngster very jealously, fighting off other Doves

and Quail very determinedly. On 5th July the pair was transferred

to a more sheltered aviary, and by 10th July I saw the male carrying

nesting material. The fourth setting of eggs was laid 18th July.


Cape (or Harlequin) Dove (Aena capensis ).—Their breeding

record thus far reads as follows :—


8th May, first setting of eggs. 12th May, eggs destroyed when

Mexican Ground Doves endeavoured to take possession of the nest.

13th May, transferred Cape Doves to aviary where they had only

some Shaft-tail Finches for company.


19th May, second setting of eggs. Two young hatched 5th June.

On 11th June I found both young, which were partially feathered,

dead near the nest-box, one slightly injured.


22nd June, third setting of eggs. 10th July, two young hatched.

These I found dead on 24th July, the cause being starvation. At

this writing (28th July) the old birds are beginning to nest a fourth

time. If at all possible, I shall try to use Diamond Doves as foster-

parents for the young Cape Doves.


Galapagos Doves.— Of the fifteen varieties of foreign Doves in

my aviaries, the Galapagos are by all odds the “ fightiest ”. Kept at

first with a pair of Australian Crested Doves, it was but a very short

time before the Galapagos fought them so continually that I had to

separate the two pairs. While the two pairs were together the Galapagos

had the following breeding record :—


Laid first time on 20th March ; deserted 23rd March.


Laid second time 1st April; deserted 8th April.


Laid third time 10th May ; deserted 15th May.


Laid fourth time 20th May ; deserted 23rd May.


Laid fifth time 9th June ; deserted 13th June.


When the Galapagos were separated from the Australian Crested

Doves, they laid for the sixth time on 26th June, only to desert the



