420 LARGE GAME. CHAP. ix. 



latter opinion. Commonest of all is the turtle-dove, 

 found wherever there is a tree for it to perch upon, and 

 in a land where the birds do not sing its soft cooing is 

 one of the most pleasant sounds. Next stands the great 

 blue rock-pigeon, a larger and far handsomer bird than 

 the one known by the same name in this country. It is 

 found in open, hilly districts, roosting and breeding among 

 the rocks, and as far as I have seen never settling upon 

 a tree. It flies in great flocks, and during harvest-time 

 numbers may be killed in the maize and corn fields. I 

 once got sixteen with my two barrels. Another bird, 

 closely resembling this in plumage but found in the forests, 

 inhabits the coast lands, though it is rare, and only occurs 

 at intervals. There is also another little pigeon, or dove, 

 which does not exist further south than the twenty-eighth 

 degree of south latitude, though common higher up the 

 coast. It is very small, scarcely half the size of a turtle- 

 dove, with plumage of a light grey or drab colour, and a 

 tail of several inches in length, and is a pretty little thing, 

 very fearless, coming into the villages ^and picking up 

 what it can find about the doors, even occasionally enter- 

 ing the huts. The bird which I above spoke of as being 

 unable to decide its species, is commonly known as the 

 green pigeon, and in shape, appearance, and colour exactly 

 answers to its name, though its cry, a shrill whistle, is 

 more characteristic of the paroquet ; and were it pos- 

 sible for there to be a cross between the two, I should 

 believe this to be it. It is found on the coast, its home 

 being in the forests and in the clumps of trees which give 

 such a park-like appearance to the more southern portion, 

 and is sufficiently gregarious for twenty or more to take 

 flight from a single tree. They fly wonderfully fast, and 



