Birds. 



6711 



the head in the natural position, and she thus easily picked out four 

 or five: she then recovered herself, making a great commotion by 

 flapping against the leaves with her powerful wings. The male bird 

 had finished, and took the sitting posture on a thicker twig, but the 

 female seemed as voracious as ever. I now approached slowly still 

 nearer. The male observed me attentively, stretching his neck, not 

 rising from his crouch, but uttered a moan very like a person in pain, 

 constantly reiterated. I believe this to be analogous to the much 

 shorter, quicker snort the tame pigeon and others will give when par- 

 tially frightened. My distance from them was not now more than ten 

 yards. As they flew past me their wings produced a slight winnowing 

 sound, but nothing like most other pigeons. They perched on the 

 top of a cedar close by, doubtless to watch my movements. 



" These observations were made under the very adverse circum- 

 stance of a cloud of mosquitoes ; I was obliged to request a friend 

 with me and my servant to withdraw a little, as I was afraid their de- 

 fensive movements would keep the birds at any rate in a state of 

 partial alarm. My hands I could shelter, but on the face and ears it 

 was, during the hour I watched them, like suffering an attack of 

 measles ; but 1 never could detect in the birds the slightest recogni- 

 tion of their presence : and, so far as I can gather from the structure 

 of the bird itself, the unusually thick, compact plumage, the horny 

 defences of the legs (plumed) and bill seem to leave not a vulnerable 

 point, except the orbits. However, it seems universally affirmed that 

 they are attracted by smoke, and will perch over a fire, partly spreading 

 their wings, as if intently enjoying it ; and such statements should not 

 be lightly set aside, but that the cause of this is [the desire to evade 

 the assaults of] mosquitoes does not appear quite so clear. Accounts, 

 too, seem to agree that when in their autumn quarters, the high moun- 

 tain woods, they repose in rows on the thicker branches during the 

 heat of the day. Their voracity also is famous, but this, 1 would sug- 

 gest, is fully explained by the small portion of the swallowed food 

 which is appropriated to their sustenance. I only saw eight or ten 

 birds altogether, but 1 w r as assured that before the tree was in a great 

 measure stripped of its fruit they might be reckoned by dozens in this 

 very pasture, and I can even imagine their numbers amounting to hun- 

 dreds were their food abundant in one particular spot of a district. 

 But it was a fine sight to see these noble birds feeding; their fearless- 

 ness was so unusual. All the colours of their plumage, — the soft lake of 

 the head and neck, — the gay blue of the wings and back, — as well as 

 their actions, — all plainly visible, in beautiful contrast with the dark 



