300 LETTER XLYI. 



large circle of a bright emerald colour, varying ac- 

 cording to the shade in which it is viewed. 



I have, rny dear Sir, endeavoured to give you, from 

 the best authorities, as accurate a delineation as pos- 

 sible of this singular bird, which has so long excited 

 the curiosity of this part of the world,- and afforded a 

 puzzling enigma to European ornithologists. ,. Having 

 exhibited to your view the most striking display of 

 the beauties of nature in the pie tribe, I shall close 

 my. description of that class, by calling your attention 

 to a species, in which utility is joined to elegance of 

 form and plumage, and which is therefore adapted to 

 excite our admiration of the created system, and our 

 gratitude towards the All-wise and bountiful Creator. 



THE PIGEON 



is so universally known, that any description of it 

 would be a waste of time both to the writer and the 

 reader; and indeed the variety of plumage which the 

 tame kind displays, is so great, that it would exhaust 

 the labours of the pen or penqil. 



All the beautiful varieties of the pigeon are said to 

 derive their origin from the stock dove, or wood pi- 

 geon, which is invariably of a beautiful ash colour, 

 and the breast dashed with a fine changeable green 

 and purple. These are the colours of the pigeon in 

 its natural state; and from these simple but beautiful 

 tints, the effects of domestication have produced a va- 

 riety that words cannot describe, nor ven fancy it- 

 self suggest. 



The most distinguished varieties of the pigeon tribe, 

 are the stock dove, the colours of which are already 

 described, and which in size considerably exceeds the 

 lame pigeon: and the ring dove, which is still larger, 

 and receives its appellation from a beautiful white 

 circle round the neck, above and below which, the 

 contiguous parts are delightfully variegated with 

 changeable colours. These almost always fly in 

 large flocks, and are so wild, that all attempts to re- 

 claim them have been ineffectual. 



The turtle dove is the most celebrated of the whole 

 race: it is considerably smaller than the common .pi- 

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