shot the species on the Vaal River near Rustenburg. The late
Mr. Frank Oates procured specimens at Pietermaritzburg and also
on the journey from Pretoria to Bamangwato. It was seen by
Mr. Ayres in the Mashoona Country.
In Damara Band and Soutti -Wost Africa there is a pale form, concerning
which Captain Shelley writes as follows “ There is a well-
marked tropical race, rather constant in its character, first recognized
by Le Yaillant and afterwards named by Drs. Finsch and Hartlaub,
T. damarensis. It differs from the typical Cape Town bird, but the
arrangement of the colours and the proportions are identical. The
grey of the head fades almost, or occasionally quite, into white on
the front and sides of the forehead and on the front of the cheeks ;
the grey shade on the cheeks is rarely present; the partial grey
edges to the black collar above and below often pass into white; the
vinous of the neck and breast is paler, generally almost clear pink
with no grey shade, but greyer-breasted intermediate forms are'not
uncommon; the brown of the upper parts is generally paler, but not
always so. Total length, 10‘3 inches; culmen, 0'5o; wing, 6’21 ;
tail, 4‘5 ; tarsus, 0‘8.
Of this race Mr. Andersson gives the following account:__“ This
is the most abundant species of Dove in Damara Land and the parts
adjacent. It cannot be strictly said to be a gregarious species; yet
numbers are often found in close proximity, both on trees and on
the ground, and rise in one flock when flushed, producing a great
noise by the rapid concussion of their wings above their backs.
They seek on the ground for their food, which consists almost
exclusively of seeds. They build in small trees, generally at the
extremity of a bough, constructing a rough nest of a few twigs, with
no lining of any kind. The eggs are two in number, of a pure white.
I have observed these Doves building on August 20th, and have
found their eggs abundantly at the end of December; so that it
is probable that they produce two broods in the year.” Senor
Anchieta has also procured this bird in various parts of South-West
Africa. At Benguela it is called “ Baugo ” by the natives, and at
Humbe “ Cocolumbua.”
552. T u r t u r s e n e q a l e n s i s , L. Senegal Turtle-Dove.
The present bird is recognized by the “ mottled collar on the
front and sides of the throat, formed by the feathers of these parts
being black, broadly tipped with fawn-colour ” {Shelley). I t is
widely spread over Africa, and is found throughout the colony, and
is well known from the peculiarity of its note, which somewhat
resembles a human laugh. I t frequents the same localities as do
the other species, and is often mistaken for them when on the wing.
A hen-bird, attracted by the call of the male of the Australian
Geopelia tranquitta in our aviary, entered the room and was
captured. We kept her in confinement a few days, and finally let
her loose. To our astonishment she appeared in the evening on the
window-sill to pick up the seed spilt there accidentally. She
remained about the house and garden, sometimes venturing into the
room, and in the breeding season sought a mate and bred in one of
the oak trees close to the window. Her first nest was destroyed by
a mischievous boy; but she made another, and brought off the
young one, which together with herself and mate were daily to be
found morning and evening, feeding in the garden, unmindful of
our presence. They also associated with them Turtur semitorquatus
and a Java sparrow. Subsequently they attracted many of their
own species, and we have counted as many as sixteen in the garden
at once. Eggs taken from the nest of this bird measure—axis, IB"';
diameter, 10"?. They are of the usual pure glossy white.
This species is rather scarce near Grahamstown, but is common at
Fort Brown, on the Fish River. I t is not mentioned in Mr. Rickard’s
lists from East London and Port Elizabeth, and is stated to be rare
near Kingwilliamstown by Captain Trevelyan.
Mr. Ayres has not procured it in Natal, but a specimen was given
to him from that colony. Captain Reid found the species common
in the mimosa bush along the Tugela River, at Colenso, in November.
From the Transvaal Mr. Ayres writes:—“ These Doves are common
in the Mariqua district; and many may be seen together hunting
for wheat or other grains amongst the chaff and straw on the
threshing-floors of the farms in the neighbourhood of the bush. I
have found but one nest of this bird, the egg from which I now
send; it is pure white, rather glossy, and equally obtuse at either
end. The- nest was composed of a few twigs, and placed on the
horizontal branch of a low thorn tree growing on the banks of a
stream. A pair of these Doves built a nest in a rose hedge in June,
and laid two eggs; these I took, and in a fortnight they had built
another nest and laid two more eggs. Their eggs are pure white,