My Boyhood and Youth 



from rear to front, revolving something like a 

 wheel with a low buzzing wing roar that could 

 be heard a long way off. In summer they feasted 

 on wheat and oats and were easily approached 

 as they rested on the trees along the sides of 

 the field after a good full meal, displaying 

 beautiful iridescent colors as they moved their 

 necks backward and forward when we went 

 very near them. Every shotgun was aimed at 

 them and everybody feasted on pigeon pies, 

 and not a few of the settlers feasted also on the 

 beauty of the wonderful birds. The breast of 

 the male is a fine rosy red, the lower part of the 

 neck behind and along the sides changing from 

 the red of the breast to gold, emerald green and 

 rich crimson. The general color of the upper 

 parts is grayish blue, the under parts white. 

 The extreme length of the bird is about seven- 

 teen inches; the finely modeled slender tail 

 about eight inches, and extent of wings twenty- 

 four inches. The females are scarcely less 

 beautiful. "Oh, what bonnie, bonnie birds!" 

 we exclaimed over the first that fell into our 

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