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Ground Dove Hybrids



and never afraid of me or any other member of the household, in the

aviary he flew about anxiously, the while calling to others of his kind.

So I banded the youngster and let him fly in the garden, hoping that

he would be able to maintain himself.


Though this young bird proved quite a responsibility, necessitating

someone’s staying at home practically all day to feed him regularly,

he was worth all time and effort given him, for he adjusted himself

very quickly to his artificial surroundings and the sudden change in

diet. Best of all, he taught his keeper much about the care and the

feed on which immature Mocking-birds thrive. Great was the keeper’s

joy recently upon seeing his charge in the garden as he helped himself

to some ripe young berries, the little metal leg-band making recognition

quite certain.



GROUND DOVE HYBRIDS


Two such crosses obtained this year are worth record. The first is

the Pigmy Dove X Talpacoti Dove, and was bred in my aviary at

Balcombe. The mother I am certain about ( Chsemepelia talpacoti),

but am not so sure about the father, which is either Ch. minuta or

passerina, I think the first. The first attempt was in March or April

and two young birds were hatched, but died in the nest or because

the nest fell to pieces under them ; next time the mother chose a half

coco-nut to lay in and hatched two young, both of which left the

nest, but one died almost at once. The other survived and is still

alive, a fine bird larger than its mother and with as blue or bluer a

head. The parents then apparently went into heavy moult, but in

spite of this, went to nest and unexpectedly produced another young

bird, which flew on 18th July and is still alive.


The second cross is “ Cinnamon Dove ” (= talpacoti) X “ Black¬

winged Andean Dove ” bred by Mr. Berry in Guernsey this summer

and recorded in Bird Fancy , 31st July, 1937. One young hybrid reared

by a Senegal Dove ; the parents had hatched young in former years

but would not rear them. “ Cinnamon Dove ” is another name for



