l6c CASSELL'S BOOK OF BIRDS. 



near a fire. The note of this species is exceedingly plaintive, and, although softer, much resembles 

 the coo of the Turtle Dove." 



" The Little Turtle Dove," says Gould, " is more frequently observed on the ground than among 

 the trees. I sometimes met with it in small flocks, but more often in pairs. It runs over the ground 

 with a short bobbing motion of the tail, and while feeding is so remarkably tame as almost to admit 

 of its being taken by the hand ; if forced to take wing it merely flies to the nearest tree, and there 

 remains motionless among the branches. I not unfrequently observed it close to the open doors of 

 the huts of the stock-keepers of the interior." 



The nest is a frail and beautiful structure, formed of the stalks of a few flowering grasses, 

 crossed and inter^voven. " One sent me from Western Australia is composed," says Gilbert, " of a 

 small species of knotted everlasting plant {Composita), and was placed on the overhanging grasses of 

 the Xanthorrhcsa. During my first visit to this part of the country, only two situations were known as 

 places of resort to this species, and I did not meet with more than four or five couples ; since that 

 period it has become exceedingly abundant, and now a pair or two may occasionally be seen about 

 most of the settlers' houses on the Avon, becoming apparently very tame, and familiarised to man. 

 This bird utters a rather singular note, which at times somewhat resembles the distant crowing of a 

 cock. The term AItn->ia-brun-ka is applied to it by natives, from a traditionary idea that the bird 

 originally introduced the 7nai-iia, a kii)d of gum which exudes from a species pf acacia, and which 

 is one of the favourite articles of food among the natives." 



The RUNNING PIGEONS (Geotrygoncs) are heavy, and powerfully framed, with rounded 

 wings, the first primary quill of which is often much shortened ; high, thick tarsi, and short toes. All 

 the species belonging to this group occupy Southern and Central America. 



THE PARTRIDGE DOVE. 



The Partridge Dove {Starnxnas cyanocephala), the most remarkable of these birds, has a 

 thick-set body, short wings, the slender, sabre-formed quills of which are pointed at the extremity, the 

 third and fourth beii)g longer than the rest, and a moderately long and rounded tail ; the high, 

 broad, and very strong beak is vaulted at its culmen ; the feet are long, with thick tarsi and short 

 fleshy toes, armed with large and very decidedly hooked claws. The plumage is dense, and the 

 cheek-stripes bare, overspread with small, oval warts. A beautiful chocolate-brown predominates in 

 the coloration of the feathers, shading into reddish brown on the mantle, and into rich deep red 

 upon the breast. The crown of the head and a few scale-like feathers on the throat are slate-blue ; 

 the face, nape, and throat, black ; the cheek-stripes, and a line on the lower part of the throat, pure 

 white ; the wings dark brovrn, edged with reddish brown, and shaded with deep grey on the lower 

 side ; the centre tail-feathers are chocolate-brown, and those at the sides blackish brown. The eye is 

 dark brown ; the beak bright coral-red at the base and greyish blue at the tip ; the foot is pale reddish 

 white, with homy plates of deep carmine-red ; the toes are deep blueish red, and the skin between 

 them sky-blue. This species is twelve inches long and seventeen broad ; the wing and tail each 

 measure five inches. 



The island of Cuba must be considered as the native country of these splendid birds, from 

 whence they spread northwards to Florida, southwards to Venezuela. They appear, according to 

 Burmeister, to approach the upper tracts of land near the river Amazon, but do not come farther 

 southwards. It is questionable if they are found in Jamaica. Gosse says, " The Spanish Partridge 

 Dove {Cyanocephala) is not considered as indigenous in Jamaica, though it is frequently imported 

 thither from Cuba." Audubon met with several of them in Florida, and states that "A few of these 



