312 GYRANTES. COLUMBAD^E. 



grasses; they also eat the seeds of the Jatropha 

 and of the castor-oil plant, and particularly those 

 of the gamboge-thistle, {Argemone,) so common in 

 pastures. They are fond of picking about the beds 

 of shallots and escalions, for minute seeds exposed 

 in the newly-turned earth. They are, therefore, 

 readily taken in springes made of horse-hair ; they are 

 more commonly caught by the neck than by the 

 feet, and not seldom, as I am assured, is the neck 

 quite cut off; though I presume the springe in 

 such cases must be of stronger material. 



The Ground-dove is numerous all the year round. 

 In March, I observed it particularly abundant on 

 the banks of the Rio Cobre, especially on a flat 

 gravelly bed, partially surrounded by the bending 

 stream near Spanish Town. The boys of the neigh- 

 bourhood took advantage of the thirsty birds' resort 

 to the water, by strewing about the spot the seeds 

 of the cockspur, {Pisonia aculeatd) ; a burr so ad- 

 hesive, that if one touch but a feather, it is immov- 

 able ; a very little struggling entangles other feathers, 

 and the bird is utterly helpless. So firmly tenacious 

 is the hold, that even when the bird is in the hand 

 the seed can be removed only by plucking away 

 each feather it has touched. Many are caught by 

 this singular artifice. 



It is very easily deprived of life. I have known 

 one fly into a room, and, striking its head against 

 the ceiling, fall down and die in an instant. 



From April to June the low woods resound with 

 the coo of this little Dove. Sometimes it resembles 

 the word meho ? in an interrogative tone, loud, 



