254 NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



rock-dweller, placing its nest in inaccessible places in caves and in the holes of cliffs. 

 The other species has the forehead, chin, neck, and breast dark vinaceous, mottled 

 with black; above dark ashy with a reddish tinge on back and shoulders, and a 

 greenish hue on the tail. This bird congregates in great flocks, and feeds upon wild 

 olives and berries according to the season. It breeds on trees in mountain ravines. 



The white-crowned pigeon, C. leucocephala, from the West Indies and Florida, is 

 a handsome bird, remarkable for the pure white of the upper part of the head. The 

 general color is dusky blue, the top of neck behind chocolate brown, lower part green 

 with gold reflections. They are shy birds, and breed on the Florida Keys among the 

 mangroves, and occasionally descend to the ground. C. fasciata of western North 

 America, extending southward into Central America, is a very fine species and common 

 in California and other of the Pacific states. It is a forest-loving bird, congregates 

 in immense flocks, some of which have been estimated to consist of a thousand individ- 

 uals. It feeds on berries, acorns, etc., and, where the country is settled, on grain 

 which they procure by visiting the stubble-fields. The band-tailed pigeon, as this 

 bird is called, has the head, neck, and breast purplish-red, with a narrow white ring on 

 hind neck. The upper parts are grayish-blue, as is also the tail with a black band 

 near the tip. This bird is about sixteen inches long. Central and South America 

 contain several species of this genus, of which C. plumbea, and C. araucana, may be 

 mentioned. The latter is a very handsome bird from Chili, having the head, mantle, 

 and under parts reddish-purple shaded with ash-gray ; the back, rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts lead-color. A white bar crosses the hind neck below the occiput, beneath 

 which is a patch of scaly metallic feathers reflecting golden and purple hues. The 

 tail is brown, with a broad black band near the tip. The length of bird is fourteen 

 inches. 



The next and last family is that one here called CARPOPHAGID^E. This is the 

 same in the main as Treronidre of many authors, and contains the fruit-pigeons. They 

 are birds varying much in size, many of most beautiful plumage, consisting of strongly 

 contrasted colors. The bill varies from stout to slender ; the wings are long ; the tail 

 moderate, with fourteen feathers (one or two exceptions to this) ; the tarsi short, more 

 or less feathered, with bare part reticulated ; and the inner toe is slightly united to 

 the base of middle one. The species of this family are found in India, Malayan 

 Peninsula, China, Moluccan, Papuan, and Polynesian islands, Australia, and Mada- 

 gascar. 



The first genus claiming attention is Alectroenas, containing four species, one of 

 which, A. nitidissimus, is a bird of very peculiar and striking appearance. It is a 

 native of the Isle of France, and has the head and neck covered with long, loose 

 white feathers that fall over the breast and back. At base of bill and around the eyes 

 is a bare red skin. Body dark violet blue. Tail and rump bright red. It is a very 

 rare bird in collections, and but few Europeans have met with it in its wild state. 

 Some young birds that were in captivity, never went on the ground unless obliged to 

 do so, but showed a wonderful capability in stretching to a great distance from their 

 perch, sometimes with their heads perpendicularly downward so as to pick a fruit 

 from off the floor of their cage. Another beautiful species is A. madac/ascariensis, 

 from Madagascar and the island of Nossibe. It is of a general indigo-blue color 

 glossed with violet ; the tail, which is rounded, is red ; the eyes are encircled with a 

 naked red skin ; the feet are red. This bird dwells in the forest, frequenting the 

 topmost boughs of the tallest trees. Its flesh is said to be inferior to that of other 



