208 
WHITE-BELLIED GROUND DOVE, 
tivity and quickness. Its flight is very low, and 
amidst the shrubs, as if endeavouring to conceal it- 
self, and is never long sustained. It is usually ob- 
served alone or in pairs, rarely in families or small 
flocks. It feeds upon the seeds of various grasses, 
maize, &c., and is also supposed to devour berries 
and small fruits. 
In length it measures about twelve inches. The 
forehead, the chin, and throat, are hoary white. The 
crotvn and nape of neck deep greenish-gray, tinged 
with purple. The sides and hinder part of the neck 
deep vinacious-red, with rich red lilac-purple and 
golden-green reflections. Whole of the under plu- 
mage white, tinged with vinacious-red upon the fore- 
neck and breast. Upper plumage pale umber- brown, 
with a slight tinge of oil-green. The three exterior 
feathers on each side of the tail gray, tipped with 
white, the middle feathers greyish-brown. First 
quill-feather suddenly narrowed totvards the tip. 
Basal part of the inner webs of the quills, and the 
whole of the under wing-coverts, pale orange-brown. 
Dill black, five-eighths of an inch long. Legs and 
toes reddish, the claws blunt and short. Tarsus one 
and an eighth inch long. 
The next bird we have to notice is the 
