PASSENGER TURTLE. 
185 
Struck with the rapidity and elegance of the motions 
exhibited, feel desirous of seeing them repeated, his 
wishes will be gratified, if he only remain in the 
place until the next group comes up.” 
His description of their evolutions, when a supply 
of food has been discovered, is also highly graphic. 
“ As soon as the Pigeons discover a suflBciency of 
food to entice them to alight, they fly round in circles, 
reviewing the country below. During their evolu- 
tions on such occasions, the dense mass which they 
form exhibits a beautiful appearance, as it changes 
its direction, now displaying a glistening sheet of 
azure when the backs of the birds come simultane- 
ously into view, and anon, suddenly presenting a 
mass of rich deep purple. They then pass lower 
over the woods, and for a moment are lost among 
the foliage, but again emerge, and are seen gliding 
aloft. They now alight, but the next moment, as if 
suddenly alarmed, they take to wing, producing, by 
the flapping of their wings, a noise like the roar of 
distant thunder, and sweep through the forests to see 
if any danger is near. Hunger, however, soon brings 
them to the ground. When alighted, they are seen 
industriously throwing up the withered leaves in 
quest of the fallen mast. The reat ranks are con- 
tinually rising, passing over the main body, and 
alighting in front, in such rapid succession, that the 
whole flock seems still on wing. The quantity of 
ground thus swept is astonishing, and so completely 
has it been cleared, that the gleaner who might fol- 
