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COLLARED TURTLE. 
of the side feathers composing it being tipped with 
white. The back scapulars and rump are of a pale 
cloye-brown, with a greenish tinge. The margins 
of the wings, the greater coverts, and under wing- 
coverts, are blue gi'ay. The greater quills are hair- 
brown, delicately edged with grayish-white. The 
tail is slightly rounded, the two middle feathers en- 
tirely clove-brown, the remainder on each side with 
the basal half black, the tips bluish- gray, except 
those of the two outermost, which are white. The 
vent and under tail-coverts ai’e white; the legs and 
feet gray; the inner toe a little longer than the outer. 
In its natural state, it inhabits the woods, where it 
breeds, making a nest similar to that of the common 
turtle, and lays two white eggs. It seeks its food 
in the open grounds, and subsists upon grain, grass- 
seeds, pulse, &c. It is easily distinguished, and the 
place of its retreat soon discovered by its cooing- 
notes, one of which we have already stated to re- 
semble the human laugh. 
A mixed breed is sometimes obtained between 
this species and the common wild turtle, but the 
progeny are Invariably mules, and incapable of far- 
ther increase, — a fact that has been established by 
many careful and oft-repeated experiments, and one 
which affords a strong argument against the suppo- 
sition, that many of the varieties of the common 
pigeon, or of the domestic fowl, are the result of a 
mixture of different species. 
