lo2 Some Colony Birds. 



smaller and gentler species are called Doves, the larger and 

 bolder, Pigeons. The word Pigeon is derived from the 

 French (O. F. i'ijon) and means (Lat., pipio) a young 

 piping bird. The word Dove is from the old English dujan, 

 to dive : a word which may have reference to its undulating 

 tiight, for needless to say, neither Pigeons nor Doves dive into 

 water. All observers of Nature must have seen a flock of 

 Pigeons, disturbed from their feeding ground, rise in a body 

 and diving, as it were, into the bush, disappear. 



Doves and Pigeons are to be found all o\cr the world. 

 They /are homogeneous in form and feature and their habits are 

 much the same. There are in all five hundred species. 



Savannah Ground Dove. Of the Ground Doves 

 {Peristcridae) seen in Georg-etown, the Sa\'annah Ground- 

 I^'ove iL the largest as it is the commonest. Its scientific 

 nam? from the Greek, Chamaepelia talpacoti. means " the 

 ground bird that scares the mole!" It is from six to seven 

 inches in leng:h, the bill being half an inch and the tail an 

 inch and a half beyond the wings. The bird is a uniform 

 pinkish red, fading into pink on the throat and cheeks; the 

 crown of the head is cloud-grey. There are downward lines 

 of black or blue-black upon the wings like the jottings of a 

 pen; the under-wing coverts are black as also the under- 

 featherh of the tail; the primaries are blackish-brown. The 

 eye is red and the feet, of course, pink. The Indians call it 

 w'ihi which means " shaven " and in truth the head has that 

 appearance, being small, smooth, and light in colour. The 

 hen is brown with corresponding markings. 



The Dove is gentle and timid, li\ing amicably with 

 smaller birds, though it defends itself with its wings should 

 they shew themselves aggressive. Little finches if placed in 

 the same cage will take advantage of its gentle disposition, 

 and sidling up, will pluck a small feather and then, inirabilc 

 dicta, swallow it I 



The Speckled Dove. The speckled Ground-Dove 

 {Cliamacpclia passerina) is smaller, being barely six inches 

 in length. It is brown-pink, fading into pink on breast, throat, 

 and head; and into white on the vent. The feathers of the 



