THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 353 



I once possessed a humming-bird, which wonderfully attracted the 

 attention of the late worthy Mr Loddiges. He stood riveted to the 

 spot as he examined it. Knowing that he had formed his own 

 collection of humming-birds chiefly for the good of science, and 

 aware that mine had no ulterior pretensions than to attract the 

 passing notice of accidental visitors, I begged him to accept it. On 

 returning to London, Mr Loddiges sent me a few fine specimens ot 

 the thorn which bears a black berry, intimating that he had been 

 assured that this species of thorn had attractions for the nightingale. 

 These plants are now in fine vigour at Walton Hall. 



No doubt, there are yet numerous species of humming-birds, 

 brilliant as the morning-star, to be discovered in those far-distant 

 and immeasurable wilds where, at the present time, perhaps, there 

 is not one solitary rational being to admire the profusion of their 

 metallic splendour, glowing like diamonds in their rich and loricated 



plumage. 



" Full many a gem of purest ray serene, 



The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear ; 

 Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 

 And waste its sweetness on the desert air," 



THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 



" Towards the approach of day, the noise in some measure subsided. Long 

 before objects were distinguishable, the pigeons began to move off in a direction 

 quite different from that in which they had arrived the evening before ; and, at 

 sunrise, all that were able to fly had disappeared. The howlings of the wolves 

 now reached our ears, and the foxes, lynxes, cougars, bears, raccoons, opossums, 

 and polecats were seen sneaking off." (Biography of Birds, by Audubon, p. 325.1 

 " Variarum monstra ferarum ! " VIRGIL. 



MR AUDUBON may boast of a sight never before seen by mortal eyes 

 under similar circumstances. Great, indeed, must have been the 

 yearning for pigeon flesh, to have caused such a variety of wild ani- 

 mals to assemble there ; and irresistible the flavour which induced 



Z 



