372 DOVES. 



rains in Feb. 1832, when most of the houses 

 were inundated, one was preserved from the 

 flood by this bird being within, the water flowed 

 round the habitation, but did not enter ! 



When the birds are kept in a state of confine- 

 ment, it is said by the Javanese, that they pass 

 small green stones, sometimes one every week, 

 and continuing for one or two years ; these stones 

 are much esteemed, valued as high as thirty 

 and forty rupees each, and are set in rings, &c. 

 The stones, according to native information, are 

 always passed upon a Friday ; (which is the Java- 

 nese Sunday ;) some set as high a value upon 

 their birds as fifty and one hundred rupees each. 

 The natives never eat them ; a European, at one 

 time, shot some, and gave them to his Javanese 

 servant to eat, not being aware of their vene- 

 ration for them, but he would not touch them. 

 Every Friday they take the birds out of the 

 cages, wash them in rice-water, at the same time 

 administering some small pills, (composed of 

 such a multiplicity of medicinal ingredients, 

 that my Javanese informant said, it would take 

 too long a time to give me the names of the 

 whole,) otherwise the birds would not live ; for if 

 they were not washed, and did not take the physic, 

 they would have small white worms in the corner 

 of the eyes and in the nostrils, which would soon 

 destroy them. 



