172 COLLARED TURTLE. 



of the side feathers composing it being tipped with 

 white. The hack scapulars and rump are of a pale 

 clove-brown, with a greenish tinge. The margins 

 of the wings, the greater coverts, and under wing- 

 coverts, are blue gray. The greater quills are hair- 

 brown, delicately edged with grayish-white. The 

 tail is slightly rounded, the two middle feathers en- 

 tirely clove-brown, the remainder on each side with 

 the basal half black, the tips bluish-gray, except 

 those of the two outermost, which are white. The 

 vent and under tail- coverts are white ; the legs and 

 feet gray ; the inner toe a little longer than the outer. 

 In its natural state, it inhabits the woods, where it 

 breeds, making a nest similar to that of the common 

 turtle, and lays two white eggs. It seeks its food 

 in the open grounds, and subsists upon grain, grass- 

 seeds, pulse, &c. It is easily distinguished, and the 

 place of its retreat soon discovered by its cooing- 

 notes, one of which we have already stated to re- 

 semble the human laugh. 



A mixed breed is sometimes obtained between 

 this species and the common wild turtle, but the 

 progeny are invariably mules, and incapable of far- 

 ther increase, a fact that has been established by 

 many careful and oft- repeated experiments, and one 

 which affords a strong argument against the suppo- 

 sition, that many of the varieties of the common 

 pigeon, or of the domestic fowl, are the result of a 

 mixture of different species. 



