88



Dr. M. Amsler—Breeding Failures



new species. These Doves have spoiled my record of failures, though

even they might have done better.


They have reared six young, and one pair is at the moment (7th

February) just about to hatch out.


The clutch is, of course, two and both eggs usually hatch, but it is

seldom that both young are reared.


Any commotion in the aviary, such as a sudden panic on the part

of a Pheasant or one of their own parents, is liable to disturb the

young and make them leave the nest too early; even so they are usually

reared quite satisfactorily, but it is necessary to see that they are

driven in under shelter at night, and it also behoves one to see they

do not get crushed under foot, for these squabs which fly prematurely

do not perch for the first week or two. These Doves attract more

attention among visitors than any others I have kept ; they are very

hardy and free breeders, but the great drawback I find is the difficulty

in sexing the birds.


Mine are rung, and even so I have a difficult task in seeing any

difference between the males and females, even though I actually know

which is which. Notes on this question which have appeared in the

pages of this journal were misleading and of no help at all.


If you can grab a bird between the first and second egg it is pre¬

sumably a hen, and can be marked with a distinctive ring. Any other

bird incubating those eggs is a cock, and can also be marked accordingly.


There is no bowing, cooing, and tail-spreading such as one sees in

many other Doves, but one habit is, I believe , peculiar to the male,

and it is often seen when several of these Doves are kept together :

the bird gets on to the nesting site, bows slightly and “ wags ” his

tail slowly from side to side. The foregoing and, I fear, very lengthy

notes are the whole truth concerning my failures during the past

season. Were I a complete tyro, who had never bred anything, I might

have been ashamed to put them into print, but I do so knowing that

one’s luck must turn sooner or later, and hoping, with my tongue in

my cheek, that the satisfaction which my failures will give to more

successful breeders will next year be turned to green envy.



