A VES— PIGEON. 585 



ground. It is composed of trees and roots, making" an almost flat nest. 

 The flesh of this bird is considered superior to that of the wild pigeon. It is 

 twelve inches long; it has a beautiful glossy black eye. The general color is 

 a fine slate blue, reflecting in some part the most vivid tints of green, gold, 

 and crimson. The legs and feet are red, seamed with white. 



THE GROUND DOVEi 



Is one of the least of the pigeon tribe, and has a very timid and innocent 

 appearance. It is a native of North and South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, 

 and the West Indies. They are numerous on the seacoasts of Carolina and 

 Georgia, fly in flocks of fifteen or twenty, seldom visit the woods, and are 

 almost constantly on the ground. They feed on rice, seeds, and berries. It 

 is six inches and a quarter long. The upper parts are of a cinereous brown; 

 the throat and breast of a pale purple ; the iris of the eye orange red, and 

 the legs and feet yellow. 



In the United States are found, alisO, the white-crowned pigeon, the band- 

 tailed pigeon, and the zenaida dove. 



THE DOMESTIC PIGEON, 



With all its beautiful varieties, is said to derive its origin from the stock- 

 dove,2 the English name, implying its being the slock, or stem, whence the 

 other domestic kinds have been propagated. This bird, in its natural state, 

 is of a deep bluish ash color; the breast dashed with a fine changeable green 

 and purple ; its wings marked with two black bars ; and the tail barred near 

 the end w^ith black. These are the colors of the pigeon in a state of nature; 

 and from these simple tints, has man, by art, propagated a variety, that 

 Avords cannot describe, nor even fancy suggest. However, nature still per- 

 severes in her great outline ; and though the form, color, and even the 

 fecundity of these birds may be altered by art, yet their natural manners and 

 inclinations continue still the same. The stockdove usually builds in holes 

 of rocks, or in excavated trees. Its murmuring note at morning, and dusk, 

 is highly pleasing. 



The dovehouse pigeon, as is well known, breeds every month ; it lays two 

 white eggs, which, most usually, produce young ones of diflerent sexes. 

 From three or four o'clock in the evening, till nine the next day, the female 

 sits on the eggs; she is then relieved by the male, who takes his place from 

 ten till three, while his mate is feeding abroad. In this manner they sit 



' Columba pctsscrina, Wilsos. * Columba ccnas, Lin. 



74 



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