78 PIGEON. 



inclining to olive ; head and neck dull green ; shoulder of the wing 

 beautiful pompadour-colour, the outer edge narrowly marked with 

 white ; tail dirty pale blue, the end white ; under coverts pale brown, 

 with whitish margins; thighs and vent white; the tail consists of 

 fourteen feathers, blue grey above, and greenish white at the ends 

 beneath ; the belly is bright yellow as far as the thighs ; legs feathered 

 for half their length ; toes red. 



The female is rather smaller ; the belly not yellow, but of the 

 same green as the body; thighs only white, and the pompadour- 

 colour on the shoulder paler, and of less extent ; but the wing coverts 

 and quills in both sexes are edged yellow. 



Inhabits the low parts of Abyssinia, perches on the highest trees, 

 sitting quietly during the heat of the day; flies high, and in vast 

 flocks ; mostly frequents a species of beech tree, on the mast of which 

 it chiefly lives : In the beginning of the rainy season in the Kolla, 

 it emigrates to the south, and south-west, and is frequently so ex- 

 tremely fat, as to burst on falling to the ground. Mr. Bruce, from 

 whom the above is taken, observes, that it is the best of all the 

 Pigeon kind ; yet the Abyssinians will not taste the flesh, holding it 

 in abhorrence : the name given by Mr. Bruce, is from the bird being 

 frequently met with at Waalia, which lies due N. W. from Gondar. 

 Mr. Salt observes, that it is a wild species, generally to be found 

 among the Daro Trees, near a stream ; the one referred to in his 

 Travels, was shot at Ghella : he likewise says, that this bird is eaten 

 by the Abyssinians. Said to make the nest in the holes of high 

 trees, in woods, and to lay four yellowish white eggs ; chiefly seen 

 in pairs. 



99._PSITTACEOUS PIGEON. 



Colomba psittacea, Colombar unicolor, Temm. Pig.fol. pi. 4. Id. 8vo. i. p. 47. 



LENGTH ten inches and a half. Bill horn-colour, bent, at the 

 base a reddish naked skin; general colour of the plumage green j 



