GROUND DOVE. 
*219 
the birds, by Noah, to ascertain the state of the Deluge, and 
returning to the ark, bearing the olive leaf, as a messenger of 
peace and good tidings ; the Holy Ghost, it is also said, was 
seen to descend like a dove from heaven, &c. In addition to 
these, there is in the Dove an appearance of meekness and 
innocency very interesting, and well calculated to secure our 
partiality in its favour. These remarks are applicable to the 
whole genus ; but are more particularly so to the species now 
before us, as being among the least, the most delicate, and 
inoffensive of the whole. 
The Ground Dove is six inches and a quarter long ; bill, 
yellow, black at the point ; nostril, covered with a prominent 
membrane, as is usual with the genus ; iris of the eye, orange 
red ; front, throat, breast, and sides of the neck, pale vinaceous 
purple ; the feathers, strongly defined by semicircular outlines, 
those on the throat, centred with dusky blue ; crown and hind 
head, a fine pale blue, intermixed with purple, the plumage, 
like that on the throat, strongly defined; back, cinereous 
brown, the scapulars deeply tinged with pale purple, and 
marked with detached drops of glossy blue, reflecting tints of 
purple ; belly, pale vinaceous brown, becoming dark cinereous 
towards the vent, where the feathers are bordered with white ; 
wing-quills, dusky outwardly, and at the tips ; lower sides, 
and whole interior vanes, a fine red chestnut, which shews 
itself a little below their coverts ; tail, rounded, consisting of 
twelve feathers, the two middle ones, cinereous brown, the 
rest, black, tipt and edged with white ; legs and feet, yellow. 
The female has the back and tail-coverts of a mouse colour, 
with little or none of the vinaceous tint on the breast and 
throat, nor any of the light blue on the hind head ; the throat 
is speckled with dull white, pale clay colour, and dusky ; sides 
of the neck, the same, the plumage strongly defined ; breast, 
cinereous brown, slightly tinctured with purple ; scapulars, 
marked with large drops of a dark purplish blood colour, 
reflecting tints of blue ; rest of the plumage, nearly the same 
as that of the male. 
