THE NICOB-Ul PIGEON. 379 



elegance of the motions, feel desirous of seeing them repeated, his wishes wiU be gratified 

 if ho only remain in the plaee till the next group comes up." 



Hi.s descriptions of their evolutions when a supply of food has been discovered, is also 

 highly graphic. " As soon as the pigeons discover a sufficiency of food to entice them to 

 alight, the}' fly round in circles, reviewing tlio country below. During their evolutions 

 on such occasions, the dense mass which they form exhibits a beautiful appearance, as it 

 changes its direction, now displaying a glistening sheet of azure when the backs of the 

 birds come siinidtaneously into view, and anon, suddenly presenting a mass of rich deep 

 purple. They then pass lower over the woods, and for a moment are lost among the 

 foliage, but again emerge, and are seen gliding aloft. They now alight, but the next 

 moment, as if suddenly alarmed, thev take to wing, producing, by the flapjDing of their 

 wings, a noise like the roar of distant thunder, and sweep through the forest to see if any 

 danger is nigh. Ilvmger, however, soon brings them to the ground. ^Vhen abghted, 

 the}' are seen industriously throwing up the withered leaves in quest of the fallen mast. 

 The rear ranks are contiuually rising, passing over the main body, and alighting in front, 

 in such rapid succession, that the whole flock seems still on the wing. The quantity of 

 ground thus swept is astonishing ; and so completely has it been cleared, that the gleaner 

 who might follow in their rear would find his labour completely lost." 



THE NICOBAR PIGEON.* 



This beautiful bird, though of a ht-a^'y form and ungracefid carriage, yields to none of 

 its tribe in splendour of plumage, of which the prevailing hue is rich metallic green, 

 with various reflexions of copper and purplish-red. It is generally described as residing 



HEAD OF COLUMBA NICOBARICA. FOOT OF COLUMBA NICOBAHICA. 



habitually upon the ground, where it runs with great celerity, perching on the lower 

 limbs of trees at night. Yet Mr. Bennet alludes to this species as usually seen perched 

 on' trees, even on the loftiest branches, " where," he adds, " it rears its yoimg similar to 

 all tlie pigeon tribe." It inhabits Nicobar, Java, Sumatra, and other Eastern islands. 



THE HACKLED PIGEON.f 



One of the most magnificent of the tribe is the hackled pigeon, distinguished by the 

 irregidar form of the feathers on the head, neck, and breast, which are long and narrow, 

 and terminate in a shining appendage resembling in consistence, though not in colour, 

 the tips of the wing-feathers of the Waxen Chatterer. It inhabits .Southern Africa and 

 the island of Madagascar. 



THE PARABOLIC PIGEON. J 



Another singular species is the Parabolic Pigeon, discovered by Le Yaillant, and figured 

 in his splendid work on the birds of Africa. The flight of this bird is very remarkable. 

 It never proceeds in a straight line, but on commencing his route describes a parabola, 



* C. Nicobarica.-Lath. t C. Francte. | Columba Arquatrix, 



