158 cassell's book of birds. 



vicinity of the Blue River we met wiili it constantly, as also in the well-wooded valleys of the 

 Samchara and Abyssinian mountains. In these situations it almost invariably frequents the shelter of 

 thick brushwood, never ascending to the summits of lofty trees, and only quitting its leafy concealment 

 for a few minutes at a time, for the purpose of drinking. The immediate vicinity of water is an 

 indispensable necessity to these birds, and where this is to be found they frequently confine their 

 movements within the limits of a few yards, provided the neighbouring bushes and parasitical plants 

 afford them a constant supply of the various seeds upon which they rely for subsistence. In 

 disposition they are peaceful and unsocial, each pair keeping apart, and never congregating even in 

 small parties. Like most members of this family, the male exhibits the utmost tenderness towards his 

 mate. The nest, which is built indifferently in low bushes close to the ground, on fallen tree trunks, 

 or in hollow trees, resembles that of other Pigeons, but is somewhat stronger, and more neatly built. 

 In Soudan the period of incubation commences with the rainy season. The solitary egg we were 

 able to obtain was found on the fourteenth of January, and had a yellowish white shell. 



The GROUND PIGEONS pass their entire lives upon the ground, and are remarkable for 

 the length of their legs. These birds have short or moderate-sized wings, and powerful, high tarsi. 

 The tail is variously formed, being sometimes short, quite straight, slightly rounded, or much 

 prolonged, and wedge-shaped. The members of this group are met with in all parts of the globe 

 except the continent of Europe. 



The AMERICAN GROUND PIGEONS {Ze/iaida), as Bonaparte has named such of these 

 birds as inhabit America, have a powerful body, short wings, and long, well-developed legs. The 

 various species comprised in this group are met with in all parts of that continent, but are especially 

 numerous in the south. In their general habits they seem to occupy a position intermediate between 

 Pigeons and Rasoreal Birds, and some of them strikingly resemble certain Partridges. 



The SINGING DOVES {ATclopckid) have comparatively long wings, a moderate-sized tail, and 



plumage much resembling that of the Turtle Dove. The region of the eye is bare. Of thesi the 



best known is 



THE KUKULI. 



The KuKULi {Melopekia melodd) is a species inhabiting South America. This bird has reddish 

 brown plumage, shaded with yellow. The crown of the head is deep brown ; the under breast and 

 belly are of greyish hue; the wings dark brown, bordered with greyish white; the tail-feathers blackish 

 grey tipped with white. Under the ear is an oval black spot, and the sides of the neck are decorated 

 ■with patches of metallic brilliancy. The eye is blackish blue ; the eye-ring, or, rather, broad, bare 

 cheek-stripe, is deep blue ; tlie beak black, and the foot red. This species is twelve inches long. 

 The wing measures six inches and three-quarters. 



We are without any detailed account of the life of this Pigeon, but are indebted to Tschudi for 

 a short communication respecting it in his " Travels in Peru." " The Kukuli," he writes, " one of the 

 largest species of Pigeon, is a great favourite in this country, and much kept in cages. Its song, 

 which is monotonous, but very melodious, is continued up from the earliest hours of the morning till 

 mid-day, and is re-commenced at sunset. The song consists merely of a threefold repetition of the 

 S)'llibles 'cu-cu-li.' Some of these birds repeat 'cu-cu-li' more than thrice, and their price increases 

 according to the number of their uninteiTupted repetitions, which seldom exceed five or six. In 

 Coackacra, however, I heard one of these birds that repeated its ' cu-cu-li ' fourteen times, and the 

 owner would not sell his favourite for a less price than fourteen ounces of gold." 



