578 



of Natural ^ 



they are then called, are shot in great num- 

 bers. When the cool nights in October 



commence, they move still farther south, till 

 they reach the islands of Cuba and Ja- 

 maica. 



RIFLE BIRD. (PtiJoris Paradiseus.^ 

 This magnificent bird which Mr. Gould 

 considers is without exception the most gor- 

 geously plumaged one yet discovered in 

 Australia, id found in the south-eastern 

 portion of that country, inhabiting the 

 " brushes." The general colour of the male 

 is a rich velvety black, glossed on the upper 

 surface with brownish lilac ; under surface 

 similar, but all the feathers of the abdomen 

 and flanks broadly margined with rich 

 olive-green ; feathers of the head and throat 

 small, scale-like, and of a shining metallic 

 blue-green ; two centre tail-feathers rich 

 shining metallic green, the remainder deep 

 black ; bill and feet black. But while the 

 male is adorned with hues only equalled by 

 some species of the Trodiilicke or Humming- 

 birds, the dress of the female is remarkably 

 plain and sombre. The Rifle Bird's powers 

 of flight are very limited, arising from the 

 shortness and truncate form of the wing ; 

 but owing to that structure it ascends the 

 upright boles of trees precisely after the 

 manner of the Climacteri, many of whose 

 habits it possesses. 



RING-DOVE. (Columba palumbm.-) This 

 is the largest of all the Pigeon tribe, mea- 

 suring above seventeen inches in length. 

 Its bill is pale red ; the eyes pale yellow ; 

 the upper parts of the body bluish ash, deep- 

 est on the upper parts of the back ; the head 

 and fore part of the neck, pale ash gray ; 

 the lower part of the neck and breast, vinous 

 | ash ; the belly, thighs, and vent, dull white. 

 It receives its name from having a semi- 

 circular line of white on the hinder part of 

 the neck, above and beneath which the 

 feathers are glossy, and of a varying hue 

 according to the light in which they are 

 seen : the greater quills are dusky, and all 

 | of them excepting the outermost, edged 

 I with white : from the point of the wing a 



white line extends downwards, passing above 

 the bastard wing : the tail is ash gray, tipped 

 with black : legs red, and partly covered 

 with feathers ; claws black. The Ring-dove 

 is very generally diffused throughout Eu- 

 rope ; and is said to be migratory : though 

 it is certain that there are many which re- 

 main and regularly breed here. They sel- 

 dom fly singly, but in large flocks ; and they 

 subsist on grain, acorns, ivy-berries, and 

 other wild fruits. Their cooing is louder 

 and more plaintive than that of the common 

 Pigeon, but is not heard except in pairing 

 time, or during fine weather. 



" The Ring-dove," as Mr. Waterton ob- 

 serves, " lays two snow-white eggs on a nest '' 

 which may be termed a platform of sticks, 

 so sparingly put together, that the eggs are \ 

 easily seen through it by an eye habituated j 

 to look for them. On inspecting this ap- j 

 parent commencement or remnant of a nest, j 

 one is led to surmise, at the first glance, that 

 the young are necessarily exposed to many 



RINQ DOVE. (COLUMBA PALOMBOS.) 



a cold and bitter blast during the spring of , 

 this ever-changing climate. ' But God tern- ; 

 pers the wind,' said Maria, ' to the shorn 

 lamb ;' and in the case before us, instinct 

 teaches the parent bird to sit upon its oif- 

 spring for a longer period after they are 

 hatched than, perhaps, any other of the 

 feathered tribe. In the mean time, the 

 droppings of the young, which the old birds 

 of some species carefully convey away, are j 

 allowed to remain in the nest of the Ring- | 

 dove. They soon form a kind of plaster, 

 strong and scentless. This adds consistency j 

 to the nest, producing, at the same time, a 

 defence against the cold. The ornithologist, 

 while going his autumnal beats, in quest of 

 knowledge, on seeing this, will know im- 

 mediately that the nest has contained young : 

 should this be wanting, he may conclude 

 that the nest has been abandoned at an early 

 period. As he will find but very few nests 

 with this species of plaster in them, he may 

 conclude, to a certainty, that the Ring-dove 

 has a host of enemies in this country, and 

 that it is seldom fortunate enough to rear j 

 its young to that state in which the faculty 

 of flying saves them from destruction. No j 

 bird in the British dominions seems to resort I 

 to so many trees and shrubs for the purpose 

 of incubation as the Ring-dove. Not a tree, 

 from the towering pine to the lowly thorn, 

 ever comes amiss to it. * # * During the 

 winter months they are exceedingly shy and 



