304 
COLUMBA PASSERINA. 
SUBGENUS II. — GOURA, STEPHENS. 
189 . COLUMBA PASSERINA, LINN. AND WILS. GROUND DOVE. 
WILSON, PLATE XLVI. FIG. II. MALE. — FIG. III. FEMALE. v 
EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 
The ground dove, one of the least of the pigeon 
tribe, is a native of North and South Carolina, Georgia, 
the new State of Louisiana, Florida, and the islands of 
the West Indies. In the latter, it is frequently kept in 
cages ; is esteemed excellent for the table, and honoured 
by the French planters with the name of ortolan. 
They are numerous in the sea islands, on the coast of 
Carolina, and Georgia ; fly in flocks or coveys of fifteen 
or twenty ; seldom visit the woods, preferring open 
fields and plantations; are almost constantly on the 
ground, and, when disturbed, fly to a short distance, 
and again alight. They have a frequent jetting motion 
with the tail ; feed on rice, various seeds and berries, 
particularly those of the toothache tree,* under or near 
which, in the proper season, they are almost sure to be 
found. Of their nest, or manner of breeding, I am 
unable to give any account. 
These birds seem to be confined to the districts lying 
south of Virginia. They are plenty on the upper parts 
of Cape Fear river, and in the interior of Carolina and 
Georgia ; but I have never met with them, either in 
Maryland, Delaware, or Pennsylvania. They never 
congregate in such multitudes as the common wild 
pigeon ; or even as the Carolina pigeon, or turtle dove ; 
but, like the partridge or quail, frequent the open fields 
in small coveys. They are easily tamed, have a low, 
tender, cooing note, accompanied with the usual gesti- 
culations of their tribe. 
The ground dove is a bird of passage, retiring to the 
islands, and to the more southerly parts of the continent, 
on the approach of winter, and returning to its former 
haunts early in April. It is of a more slender and 
* Xanthoxylum clava Herculis. 
