NOTE-BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 401 



young pigeons, if the parents are killed before the young- 

 can provide for themselves. Birds of other species, 

 stimulated by the cries of the starving young which have 

 been deprived of parental aid, can and do assist the little 

 wretches; but none except an old pigeon with its crop in 

 a proper state can save the life of a nestling dove. 



The gouras, by whose alliance a third columban form 

 of the same race has been ushered into this breathing 

 world of ours, in their natural state are probably em- 

 ployed, like others of the dove kind, in disseminating the 

 fragrant nutmegs through New Guinea, the Malaccas, 

 and other islands. For Sonnerat declares, and with 

 truth, that the pigeons which swallow the nuts whole 

 are nourished by the enveloping case, which is alone 

 digested, leaving the nut itself uninjured, or rather more 

 readily prepared for germinating on the soil whereon it 

 is dropped. 



The Zoological Society possesses a very fine collection 

 of Colu'inhidce, and a most interesting tribe they are. 

 Messengers of love, of peace, and of war, they are allied 

 very nearly, as we have seen above, to the niannmalia 

 in one part of their organization, and resemble them in 

 some of their habits ; for pigeons do not drink like most 

 birds, by taking up a small quantity of water at a time, 

 and throwing the head upward and backward, but, like 

 horses or kine, suck up a long continuous draught with- 

 out raising the head, till thirst is satisfied. 



Columba : whence the name ? Varro declares from 

 its cooing. Did the same impression of its notes on the 

 ancient British ear call forth a similar appellation, and 

 induce our ancestors to name the birds colomen, kylob- 

 man, kulm, kolm, and culver ? 



The perseverance with which some of the varieties, 

 the carriers especially, when well trained, will return 

 from very long distances, is wonderful : 



