306 GYRANTES. COLUMBAD^. 



are a good deal eaten, though seldom fat, and rather 

 subject to be bitter. 



When the rains fall, we see the Whitewings but 

 seldom ; they betake themselves to the deep woods 

 and impenetrable morasses, when their presence is 

 indicated by their loud stammering coo. The full 

 coo consists of more notes than that of any other 

 of our Doves ; rendered into negro-English, it runs 

 thus : " Since poor Gilpin die, cow-head spoilj\ 

 the last note protracted and falling meaningly. 

 This, however, is not uttered, as far as my experi- 

 ence goes, when coming out into " the open" to feed. 

 Two which I had with other Doves, caged, were 

 usually silent; but in Mr. Hill's larger collection, 

 the Whitewings were most pertinaciously vociferous. 

 All the day long, the four-fold coo, " two bits for 

 two," or " what's that to you?" loud and vehement, 

 saluted our ears. Sometimes it was replaced by 

 a sort of chorus, more musical, " toora-loora, toora- 

 loora." The other Doves cooed occasionally, but 

 the Whitewings incessantly. 



The food of this Pigeon, when retired from view, 

 I am not acquainted with ; it is probably the seeds 

 and berries which supply its congeners. The seed 

 of the sour-sop is perhaps agreeable to it, for one 

 of my lads once caught a Whitewing by bird-lime 

 set for Blue Quits at a ripe sour-sop. Farinaceous 

 and pulpy berries are found in the woods at all 

 seasons, so that the Pigeons and other frugivorous 

 birds have not only abundance but variety. Its 

 nest is not very often met with. I am informed 

 that it occasionally builds in a pimento ; Robinson 



