THE PIGEONS AND DOVES. 153 



The Fruit Pigeons are green birds, which try to be 

 parrots, but nature has stamped them doves. They 

 live entirely on fruit, which they swallow whole, not 

 having parrot beaks to carve it with. A very wide 

 gape and a most capacious and elastic throat make 

 amends to some extent for this defect, but still the 

 Fruit Pigeon is obliged to do without mangoes and 

 guavas. It finds compensation in the many varieties 

 of wild figs which every forest in India produces in 

 such liberal profusion. When a fig tree fruits, it 

 fruits all over and all at once, offering a feast to the 

 whole country such as a Rajah gives when an heir is 

 born to his throne ; and as mendicant Brahmins 

 gather from distant provinces to the Rajah's feast, so 

 the Fruit Pigeons from afar flock together to the tree 

 while it lasts, and gorge themselves twice a day, first 

 about 8 in the morning, and again about 4 in the after- 

 noon. Then is the time to shoot them, for they are 

 excellent eating, especially if their tough skins have 

 been taken off before cooking. It is difficult at first 

 to see them, for they are verdant like the foliage 

 among which they sit strangely silent and motionless, 

 bat after much peering among the leafy boughs you 

 may catch sight of a tail oscillating slowly like a 

 pendulum. There is a solitary green bird, sitting like 

 a wooden figure. You fire and two fall and a dozen 

 fly off. If you are as other men you will probably 

 utter loud and naughty words, for if you had known 

 there were so many birds you might easily have had a 

 second shot at them as they flew. But if you are wise, 

 you will rule your spirit and be still. For there may 

 be a score of pigeons in the tree yet, and others will 

 come in small parties from time to time, so that, with 



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