PASSENGER TURTLE. 185 



struck with the rapidity and elegance of the motions 

 exhibited, feel desirous of seeing them repeated, his 

 wishes will he gratified, if he only remain in the 

 place until the next group comes up." 



His description of their evolutions, when a supply 

 of food has been discovered, is also highly graphic. 

 " As soon as the Pigeons discover a sufficiency of 

 food to entice them to alight, they fly round in circles, 

 reviewing the country below. During their evolu- 

 tions on such occasions^ the dense mass which they 

 form exhibits a beautiful appearance, as it changes 

 its direction, now displaying a glistening sheet of 

 azure when the backs of the birds come simultane- 

 ously into view, and anon, suddenly presenting a 

 mass of rich deep purple. They then pass lower 

 over the woods, and for a moment are lost among 

 the foliage, but again emerge, and are seen gliding 

 aloft. They now alight, but the next moment, as if 

 suddenly alarmed, they take to wing, producing, by 

 the flapping of their wings, a noise like the roar of 

 distant thunder, and sweep through the forests to see 

 if any danger is near. Hunger, however, soon brings 

 them to the ground. When alighted, they are seen 

 industriously throwing up the withered leaves in 

 quest of the fallen mast. The rear ranks are con- 

 tinually rising, passing over the main body, and 

 alighting in front, in such rapid succession, that the 

 whole flock seems still on wing. The quantity of 

 ground thus swept is astonishing, and so completely 

 has it been cleared, that the gleaner who might fol- 



