314 GYRANTES. COLUMBAD^E. 



makes the woods resound. The negroes delight to 

 ascribe imaginary words to the voices of birds, and 

 indeed for the cooings of many of the pigeons, this 

 requires no great stretch of imagination. The beau- 

 tiful Whitebelly complains all day, in the sunshine 

 as well as the storm, " Rain-come-wet-me-through !" 

 each syllable uttered with a sobbing separateness, 

 and the last prolonged with such a melancholy fall, 

 as if the poor bird were in the extremity of suffering. 

 But it is the note of health, of joy, of love ; the 

 utterance of exuberant animal happiness ; a portion 

 of that universal song wherewith " every thing that 

 hath breath may praise the Lord." The plumage, as 

 usual in this family, is very soft and smooth, the ex- 

 pression of the countenance most engagingly meek 

 and gentle. And it is a gentle bird : I have taken 

 one into my hand, when just caught in a springe, full 

 grown and in its native wildness ; and it has nestled 

 comfortably down, and permitted its pretty head 

 and neck to be stroked, without an effort to escape, 

 without a flutter of its wings. 



This is one of those species which habitually live 

 on the ground : in unfrequented woods, as well 

 those which are open, as those which are choked 

 with underwood, the Whitebelly walks about singly 

 or in pairs picking up various seeds. About Con- 

 changing to amethyst, the lowest feathers brilliant green and purple. 

 Back, wing-coverts, and uropygials dusky-brown, with slight reflexions. 

 Wing-quills deep brown, the outer edge narrowly white, the basal part of 

 inner webs, chestnut ; true tail-feathers blue grey, with white tips. Under 

 parts pure white, tinged with flesh colour on breast: inner surface of 

 wings chestnut. Eyelids bluish, the edges and angles dark lake. 



