THE PIGEON. 61 



old birds, from which time they are capable of ejecting 

 common food alone. This singular disposition of nature 

 is very remarkable, and we cannot but admire the final 

 cause by which the Pigeon is assigned the power of cast- 

 ing up this curd alone, although other food be in the crop 

 at the same time. 



The plumage of nearly the whole genus is of a close 

 texture ; its tints are various, and its lustre remarkable. 



The GREAT CROWNED PIGEON, (C. Coronata,) which 

 we have selected as an illustration, is a splendid bird, and 

 the largest of its tribe. Total length, 27 to 28 inches ; 

 bill, two inches long. Its head is adorned with a large, 

 elevated, semi-circular crest of narrow, straight feathers, 

 always erect. The crest and body below are of grayish- 

 blue ; feathers of back, scapular, and smaller wing coverts, 

 black at the base, rich purple brown at the tips ; greater 

 coverts, same color, but centrally barred with white, form- 

 ing a single transverse bar across the wings when closed ; 

 quills and tail, deep gray, the latter terminated with gray- 

 ish-blue ; legs, gray ; tarsi, three-fourths of an inch in 

 length, covered with rounded scales not closely set, with 

 a white border of skin round each ; toes, strong, and 

 somewhat short. 



This bird is found in many of the islands of the great 

 Indian group ; not rare in Java and Banda; abundant 

 in New Guinea, and in most of the Moluccas. It builds 

 in trees ; lays but two eggs. The cooing of the male is 

 hoarse, accompanied by a noise somewhat like that of a 

 Turkey-cock when strutting. Food berries, grass, &c. 

 Flavor of the flesh, said to be delicious. Many attempts 

 have been made to domesticate it, but they have inva- 

 riably failed. 



The Pigeon is considered sacred among the lower orders 

 in some parts of Russia ; and to kill and eat it, is deemed 

 a profanation. It is called God's bird, from the circum- 



