Chapter IX: Part 9

The SMOOTH-BEAKED HORNBILLS (_Rhynchaceros_) are the smallest members of this extensive group. In these birds the beak, which is comparatively small, has both mandibles curved, and the margins more or less denticulated; the feet are short and weak; the wings, in which the fourth or fifth quill is the longest, are of medium size, and the slightly-rounded tail of moderate length.

THE TOK.

The TOK (_Rhynchaceros erythrorhynchus_), a species inhabiting a large portion of Africa, is of a reddish grey upon the mantle and dirty white on the under side; the head and throat are greyish white; the wing-covers black, spotted with yellowish white on the inner web, with the exception of the innermost, which is white on the outer and brownish grey on the inner web; the two centre tail-feathers are a dull grey, the rest are black and white. The eye is deep brown, the beak blood-red, with a dark patch at the base of the lower mandible, the feet are brownish grey. This species is seventeen inches and three-quarters long, and twenty-two broad; the wing measures six inches and a half and the tail seven inches and a half. The female is similarly coloured, but considerably smaller than her mate.

The Tok is commonly met with in all the forests of Abyssinia, Eastern Soudan, and Cordofania, and occurs, we believe, throughout the whole of the wooded portions of Central, Western, and Southern Africa. Occasionally we have noticed it living among the wooded portions of the steppes, and have seen it in large numbers upon the lofty trees that abound in the river valleys. According to Heuglin, it is found upon the mountains at an altitude of seven thousand feet above the sea. Like other Hornbills, it is a true tree-bird, and but rarely descends to the ground, except when the supply of fruit and berries upon which it principally subsists falls short. Certain trees are usually selected as favourite resting-places, and upon them it perches with the utmost regularity, taking possession of the highest branches, upon which it sways itself to and fro, varying the entertainment from time to time by hopping clumsily from bough to bough. Its flight somewhat resembles that of the Woodpecker, and is produced by a series of rapid strokes, by means of which the bird rises quickly into the air to a certain height, from whence it precipitately descends, with the head downwards, in a series of curves. This process is repeated many successive times, the tail meanwhile being alternately spread and closed. The cry of the Tok, which is supposed to be represented by its name, is usually reiterated with great persistence and such rapidity as frequently to have almost the effect of one sound prolonged for a minute at a time, each note being accompanied by a duck of the head that gives a most absurd effect to the whole performance, as, owing to the quickness of utterance in which the bird indulges as it becomes excited, it is compelled to exert itself to the utmost, in order that the bow and the cry may be simultaneous. In disposition this species exhibits all the curiosity and keenness of observation possessed by the Raven, and, like that noisy bird, never fails to betray the presence of any unusual object to all its feathered companions by the loudness of its warning cries, which appear to be uttered solely for their benefit, for the Tok itself boldly darts down upon even the larger birds of prey, and grievously torments the leopard of its native forests by harrying it during its search for food. The stomachs of such of these birds as we examined contained only fruits, seeds, and insects, but it is probable that they also plunder nests and devour small quadrupeds. Heuglin mentions having seen a nearly-allied species on a piece of carrion, but whether it was employed in consuming it or merely in gleaning the flies from its surface he was unable to ascertain. The Arabs state that the Tok deposits its eggs in holes in trees, at the commencement of the rainy season.

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The TWO-HORNED HORNBILLS (_Dichoceros_), as the Indian representatives of this family are called, are recognised by the large, high, broad appendage, divided into two portions in front, which covers a considerable part of the forehead, and extends over one-third of the beak.

THE HOMRAY.

The HOMRAY, or GREAT TWO-HORNED HORNBILL (_Dichoceros bicornis_), is principally black; the throat, tips of the upper tail-covers, the lower tail-covers, and a spot on the wing, the base of the primaries, the extremities of all the quills and entire tail-feathers, with the exception of a broad black band near the tip, are white; occasionally the feathers of the throat and wings have a yellowish shade. The eye is scarlet, the upper mandible and its appendage red, shading into yellow, the latter black at its extremity; the lower portion of the beak is yellow, tipped with red; a dark brown line passes along the centre of the bill, which is greyish black at its base; the bare skin around the eyes is black, and the foot deep brown. This species is four feet long, the wing measures from nineteen to twenty, and the tail seventeen inches; the beak ten inches; its appendage is seven inches and a half long and three inches and a half broad.

The Homray frequents the high-standing woods of India, from its extreme south to the Himalayas, and from the Malabar coast to Assam, Burmah, and the Malay peninsula; it is also occasionally seen on the island of Trincomalee.

"This large Hornbill," says Jerdon, "is found in the forests of Malabar, from the extreme south up to Goa, and also in the Himalayas; I have not seen it in any other of the forest regions. It is also common in Assam, Burmah, the Malay peninsula, and in Sumatra. I have seen it but rarely in the forests of Malabar below the Ghâts. It is generally met with on the sides of the hills. I have seen it up to five thousand feet on the eastern slope of the Neilgherries; and on the Himalayas, near Darjeeling, at a height of from three thousand to five thousand feet. Hodgson states that it tenants the lower ranges of hills contiguous to the plains. It is sometimes seen in pairs, occasionally in small flocks, generally keeping to the thickets and jungle or to lofty trees, but is sometimes to be found seated on a high tree in an open space; the same writer says that it seems to prefer the most open and cultivated spots in the wilds it inhabits, these spots being usually limited to the banks of rivers. This naturalist must have seen many more of this species than I have done, for he speaks of twenty to thirty birds being commonly found in the same vicinity, and six or eight on the same tree. I never saw a flock of more than five or six, either in the south of India or in the Sikim Himalayas, and even that very rarely. It is in general rather a silent bird, making merely a deep but very loud croak. Occasionally, however, when a party are together, they utter most loud, harsh, and discordant cries. Hodgson says that the clamour made by a wounded bird is perfectly amazing. 'I cannot,' says he, 'liken this vehement vociferation to anything but the braying of a jackass; its power is extraordinary, and is the consequence of an unusually osseous structure of the rings of the trachea.' The Homray flies with more repeated flappings of its wings than the other Hornbills, only in general sailing just before alighting on a tree. The noise of its wings can be heard more than a mile distant. Like the others, it builds in holes in large trees; the male builds the female in, by covering the hole where she incubates with mud (Baker says with its ordure), leaving only room for her bill to protrude and receive food from his. This, Major Trikell, whose words I quote, has seen with his own eyes. Mason, in his work on Burmah, makes the following statement:--'The female must sit during her incubation, for if she breaks through the enclosure her life pays the forfeit; but, to compensate for the loss of freedom, her spirited mate is ever on the watch to gratify his dainty mistress, who compels him to bring all her viands unbroken, for if a fig or other fruit be injured she will not touch it.' This account, I must own, I regard as a native story, and improbable. Fruit forms the only food of this, as of other Indian Hornbills, and it always seizes it whole, tossing it in the air before swallowing it, and catching it again in its mouth. Mr. Elliot remarks of this species that a small sac is placed at the root of the tail, in which is a bundle or pencil of short bristles, forming a brush, from whence exudes a yellow oily secretion, with which the birds appear to dress their white wing-feathers. When first shot the yellow colour comes off the bill in considerable quantities, and the only parts of the body besides that are stained with this colour are the white wing-spot, the rump, and the small crest at the back of the head, this latter but slightly. The yellow substance continued to exude from the brush long after my prepared specimen was dry. The Garuda, as this species is also called, is sacred to Vishnu among the inhabitants of the forests."

THE DJOLAN, OR YEAR BIRD.

The DJOLAN, or YEAR BIRD (_Rhyticeros plicatus_), represents a group principally characterised by a wrinkled excrescence situated on the upper mandible. The wings are of medium size, and the feet short and powerful; the tail is rounded at its extremity. The plumage of the Year Bird is principally black; the top of the head is brownish yellow, and the tail white; the eye is brownish red, the beak light horn-grey, and the foot blackish grey. The bare skin upon the throat is pale yellow in the male, and dull blue in the female. In other respects the latter resembles her mate. The young are without the excrescence on the beak, which only develops after they are full grown. The name of Year Bird is derived, as we are told, from an idea formerly prevalent that a fresh wrinkle was annually added to the remarkable skin-like growth on the upper mandible.

The Djolan, as this bird is called by the natives, inhabits the Sunda Islands and Malacca, where it frequents extensive forests and promontories, from three thousand to four thousand feet above the sea, rarely ascending beyond that height, apparently because certain favourite fruit-trees do not grow above that point. From early morning it may be seen sweeping in a direct line above the summits of the loftiest giants of the forest, with head and neck thrust forward, producing as it flies the remarkable rushing sound above described. These birds live in pairs throughout the entire year, and subsist upon various kinds of fruits. We have made various successful attempts to rear the young on cooked potatoes and fruit, but have frequently found that the adults refused all nourishment, and only survived their captivity a few days. Whilst at liberty we have never heard this species produce any sound; but, when excited, the prisoners uttered a loud grunting resembling that of an angry pig. Despite the light construction of their large beak, they bite very sharply, and we have known them make a hole through a half-inch plank with which their cage had been repaired. The nest of this species is placed at a considerable height, in the hollow of one of the huge trees, covered with dense masses of parasites that form so striking a feature in the primitive forest. The only nest we were fortunate enough to find was betrayed to us by the movements of the male bird. This breeding-hole was some sixty feet above the ground; in it we saw the female securely walled up with a mixture of earth and bits of decayed wood, firmly cemented together with what we believe to be spittle from the male bird's beak. Only a small aperture was left, through which the female could obtain the fruits assiduously brought her by her affectionate spouse. This breeding female had lost almost all the principal wing and tail feathers, and would therefore have been powerless to save herself from danger had she not been thus safely protected. The natives informed us that the female always moults in this manner during the period of incubation, and does not recover her plumage till the young are ready to fly. Horsfield mentions having been told that should the male bird discover that a rival has attempted to minister to his partner's wants during his absence in search of food, he at once tears down the protecting wall, and leaves his fickle mistress to perish from exposure and hunger. The nest of this bird described by Bernstein was formed of a few twigs and chips of wood placed at the bottom of the hole, which contained a still blind nestling, and an egg that was nearly hatched. The latter was of small size, oval in form, and had a rough white shell, marked here and there with pale red and brown spots and cloudings. In an account given by Layard of the incubation of an allied species, he says: "My friend, Mrs. Baker, thus speaks of the singular habits this bird exhibits, in common with its congeners, of blocking up the sitting female in her nest:--'Building her up with mud and sticks into old broken hollow trees, or between the crowded stems of the tall euphorbia in the forests, and closing up the entrance in such a manner that it is impossible to escape, only leaving a small hole for the purpose of feeding her during her long imprisonment; I do not know how long she is thus kept in durance vile, but we have sometimes taken the females out, and found them so cramped and weak as to be unable to fly. This peculiar habit may be a precautionary measure, to protect the female during the season of incubation, as she may be too dull and exhausted to fly from approaching danger. Depend upon it, it is not done in vain. We self-willed and presumptuous beings often act without reason or reflection, but the birds of the air and the lilies of the field are protected by a higher Power.'"

THE ABBAGAMBA, OR ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL.

The ABBAGAMBA, or ABYSSINIAN HORNBILL (_Bucorax Abyssinicus_), a well-known African species of the above family, is a large, powerfully-formed bird, with short wings and tail and long legs. Its huge beak, about a foot in length, is slightly curved, flat at its sides, and blunt at the tip. The base of the upper mandible is surmounted by a high protuberance. The regions of the eye and throat are bare, and very brightly coloured. In the wing the sixth quill is longer than the rest. The entire plumage, except six yellowish white primary quills, is of a glossy black, the eye is dark brown, and the beak black, with a red and yellow spot on its upper mandible. The eye-rings and throat are dark grey, the latter bordered with bright red. The female is smaller than her mate, and has only a comparatively small portion of her neck bare. The length of the male is forty-three inches and a half, and his breadth seventy inches; the wing measures twenty-one inches and three-quarters, and the tail thirteen inches and a half.

This remarkable bird is found over a large portion of Africa, and is common in Abyssinia, where it subsists principally on a large beetle that abounds in the Teff fields at certain seasons. In some parts of the continent it is regarded with superstitious veneration, and is known as the Tier el Naciba, or Bird of Destiny. So strong, indeed, is this feeling among the natives, that they will not permit an Abbagamba to be killed near their dwellings, lest they should lose their flocks and cattle by disease; under any circumstances, however, this species is but little liable to molestation, as the disgusting stench emitted by its body renders a near approach to it almost impossible. During the breeding season the Abyssinian Hornbills live in pairs, but after that period wander about the fields in parties in search of locusts, grasshoppers, and beetles. Gourney tells us that they also devour snails, lizards, frogs, rats, mice, and similar fare. Insects they obtain by hacking in the ground with their powerful bill, and then, after tossing their victim in the air, catch it in their extended mandibles as it descends. According to Gourney they attack snakes with great intrepidity, employing their wing as a shield against the dangerous foe, and, should he prove formidable, calling in the assistance of their companions, in order more speedily to dispatch him. When excited, these strange birds present a most extraordinary appearance, as they stalk along with throat inflated and wings trailing, the tail meanwhile being constantly opened and closed, after the manner of a Turkey-cock. Their step, which resembles that of a Raven, is unsteady, and their movements in the air, contrary to the usually received idea, both light and graceful; they, however, rarely fly to any distance, but, if alarmed, merely rise and take refuge in a neighbouring tree. Should any suspicious sound attract the attention of a party of these birds, they stand erect and listen attentively, with bill wide open, and, at the first note uttered by one of their number, at once hurry to a place of safety, usually selecting such spots as command a free view of the surrounding country. The cry of the Abbagamba is deep, harsh, and so resonant that, according to Gourney, it can be heard at the distance of more than a mile. While engaged in attracting the attention of his mate, the male often continues his call, almost without intermission, for a quarter of an hour at a time, and is answered by her repeatedly in a somewhat higher tone. The nest, as we ourselves ascertained, is made in large hollow trees, with the entrance on the east side. The eggs, we learn from Heuglin, are small and round, with a rough white shell. A nestling found by us at first exhibited no trace of the horny excrescence on its bill, and, on being shut up in a yard with a variety of other live stock, soon became tame, and lived on excellent terms with its companions.

GALLINACEOUS BIRDS (_Gallinæ_).

We have now arrived at an important division of the feathered tribes, all the members of which are more or less terrestrial. They generally procure their food from the surface of the ground, upon which they run or walk with facility, and many of them scratch up the earth in search of such nutritive materials as serve for their subsistence. They have, therefore, in conformity with such a mode of life, a short or moderately long beak, which is usually vaulted above. Their body is heavy, and their wings generally short. They all live principally upon grain, and are furnished with a strong muscular gizzard. To this order belong our game birds, and most of our poultry. Their flesh is edible, and supplies us with wholesome and nutritious food, and from the facility with which they are procurable, and the ease with which some are domesticated, are of the utmost importance to mankind.

The members of this division were separated by Cuvier into two sections--the COLUMBÆ, or Pigeons, and the GALLINÆ, properly so called. More recently, however, these sections have been considered as forming two distinct orders, distinguished by the names of the PIGEONS (_Gyratores_) and the SCRAPERS (_Rasores_), or TRUE GALLINACEOUS BIRDS.

PIGEONS.

The place which the Pigeons ought to occupy in the zoological system has been a very fertile subject of dispute. Linnæus classed them with the _Passeres;_ Buffon, Pennant, and Latham arrange them as an order by themselves; while Cuvier and others place them in the category of Gallinaceous Birds. The settlement of this question is, indeed, a matter of considerable difficulty, as the habits of the entire race are in many respects very peculiar. Like the Passerine Birds, they associate in pairs during the nuptial season, work together in the construction of their nest, and materially assist in the incubation of their eggs and the care of their progeny, which latter, blind and helpless when they are first hatched, are fed in the nest that forms their cradle, and which they never quit until fully fledged; indeed, for some time afterwards they are unable to supply their own wants, and depend entirely upon the assistance of their parents. The features in which they differ from the Passerine race are, however, equally well marked; these consist in their manner of drinking and of administering food to their young family, in the singularity of their caresses, in the nature of their plumage, and in their vocal capabilities. They neither sing nor utter any cry; their only voice in the adult state consists of a full, rolling sound, generally designated by the term "cooing." Other dissimilarities separate them from the Gallinaceous races, with which they have little in common, either in their instincts, their manner of life, or their mode of pairing. The _Gallinæ_ are almost all of them polygamists, and the females, by laying numerous eggs, produce a covey at a single brood. Moreover, in temperate climates, this happens but once in the year. The Pigeons, on the contrary, are all of them strictly monogamous, and the female lays but two eggs for each sitting, although she has several broods. In the Gallinaceous tribes the male renders no assistance to the female, either in the construction of the nest or in the care of their progeny. The chickens are born with their eyesight perfect, and as soon as they escape from the egg-shell are able to run about, and procure for themselves their own food. The principal distinctive character of the _Columbæ_ is furnished by the structure of the bill. The upper mandible consists of a horny apical portion, which is often of considerable length and strength, but its base is formed by a convex cartilaginous plate, in the anterior portion of which the nostrils are situated. The skin covering the cartilaginous portion is of a soft texture, very different from the rest of the bill. It is sometimes smooth, and clothed with a sort of scurf, but in other cases it is warty, or even developed into a fleshy wattle. This is especially the case in some domesticated varieties of the Pigeon. The _Columbæ_ are provided with short tarsi and moderately long toes, all scutellated. The toes are four in number, three in front and one behind. The anterior toes are not united by a membrane at the base. The hinder toe is placed on the same plane with those in front, and the whole sole of the foot is formed of soft papillated pads, which are usually a good deal wider than the scutellated upper portion of the toes. The wings, which are generally long and pointed, contain ten primary quills, and the tail usually consists of twelve feathers, although in some cases there are sixteen. Another important character distinguishing these birds, as compared with the _Gallinæ_, is that their feathers are destitute of the plumules, or accessory plumes, which are greatly developed in Gallinaceous Birds. The form of the wing in Pigeons is sufficient to indicate that they are capable of powerful flight, and many of them are remarkable for the speed with which they traverse the air, especially when engaged in their migrations. Most of them are arboreal, and nestle in the holes of trees; others frequent rocks, but all perch with great facility; nevertheless, they generally seek their food upon the ground, and walk or run without difficulty. They are also remarkable for their mode of drinking, in which they differ from all other birds. The general practice of birds in drinking is to take up a small portion of water in the bill, and then, by raising the head, to allow it to run down into the throat. The Pigeons, on the contrary, dip their bills into the water, and hold them there till they have quenched their thirst. These birds are inhabitants of the warmer and temperate regions of the earth, but they are found in most abundance in hot climates, where, also, their plumage attains a brilliancy of which that of our native species gives us but an imperfect idea.

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The FRUIT PIGEONS (_Trerones_) are recognisable by their compact body, short, thick beak, powerful, broad-soled, but short feet, moderate-sized wings, and short tail; the latter is composed of fourteen feathers, and is either slightly cuneiform or straight at its extremity. The plumage, in which green predominates, is always brilliant.

The members of this group inhabit the whole of India, the Malayan Peninsula, Australia, and Africa, and are usually seen in parties of variable number, perched upon fruit-trees. Their movements much resemble those of the Parrots, and their voice, unlike that of most of their congeners, is loud and sweet. Such species of Fruit Pigeons as inhabit India (and probably Africa) place their very loosely-constructed nest at the summit of a lofty tree, and lay two white eggs.

THE PARROT PIGEON.

The PARROT PIGEON (_Phalacroteron Abyssinica_), a beautiful species of the above group, is powerfully built, with long wings and a short tail; its beak, which is short and strong, has the base bare and the upper mandible hooked at its tip; the short tarsus is almost entirely covered with feathers, and the broad-soled foot furnished with small toes; the wing, in which the second quill is the longest, is pointed, and the tail straight at its extremity. The plumage of this beautiful bird is pale olive-green on the mantle and light yellow on the under side; the head, throat, and breast are greyish green, the shoulders of a rich deep red, the wing-covers of a blackish hue, broadly edged with pale yellow; the quills black, edged with a lighter shade; the dark grey tail is black upon the under portion, from the root to the centre, and from that point to the tip of a silver-grey; the purple-red iris is surrounded by a narrow blue ring; a bare patch which encircles the eye is blueish red, the cere of a dirty coral-red; the white beak is shaded with blue, and tipped with pale red; the foot is deep orange-yellow. The length of this species is twelve and its breadth twenty-one inches; the wing measures six inches and three-quarters, and the tail four inches and a quarter. The female is somewhat smaller in size, but closely resembles her mate in the coloration of the plumage.

This Pigeon has been met with in Great Namaqua Land, Western Africa, and Abyssinia. Temminck informs us that it frequents the settlements of the traders, and is constantly to be seen perching perfectly motionless upon the trees during the heat of the day; at the approach of the rainy season, he tells us, it consorts with others of its species in large flocks, and wanders forth to more southern portions of the continent: our own experience would, however, lead us to condemn the latter statement as erroneous, and, indeed, all recent observations on this point prove that this bird does not migrate. Lofty mimosa-trees, surrounded by bushes of Christ's-thorn, and interlaced with the streaming tendrils of the cissus, are the favourite resorts of such of these birds as inhabit regions where those trees are abundant, while such as occupy the mountain-valleys seek shelter amid the luxuriant foliage of the tamarind-tree, or upon the well-covered branches of the lofty sycamore. Occasionally this species is seen living in pairs, but most usually in small parties of from eight to twenty birds. Even when thus associated, it is easy to distinguish the different couples, as the males constantly perch and fly close to their mates, towards whom they exhibit the utmost tenderness, endeavouring to excite their attention and admiration by agitating their wings, and caressing and tending them with all the devotion exhibited by the Parrot for its mate. The flight of these Pigeons is rapid, and accompanied by a harsh, shrill sound, produced by the violent motion of the wings as they cleave the air. The voice is very unpleasing. Such of these birds as we observed did not utter the cooing note common to many of their congeners. The stomachs of those we shot contained berries of various kinds. Le Vaillant informs us that the Parrot Pigeon deposits her eggs in a bed of moss and dry leaves within a hollow tree, but this statement we believe to be erroneous. Owing to the extreme timidity of these birds, it is exceedingly difficult to obtain specimens.

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The DOVES (_Columbæ_) are distinguishable from the above group by the peculiar form of their delicate, moderate-sized beak, which is covered with a cere at its base, is slightly vaulted, and has a hard, sharp tip. The comparatively high, slender foot is well adapted for walking firmly on the ground; the tail, composed of twelve feathers, is either rounded or straight at its extremity, and the plumage not remarkable for its brilliancy. The members of this group occupy all parts of the globe, Europe being particularly rich in species.

THE RING-DOVE, WOOD PIGEON, OR CUSHAT.

The RING-DOVE, WOOD PIGEON, or CUSHAT (_Palumbus torquatus_), has a large and strongly-built body, comparatively long tail, and short feet. The plumage of the adult bird is of a deep blue on the head, nape, and throat; the upper part of the back and upper wing-covers are dark greyish blue, and the lower portion of the back and rump light blue; the breast is reddish grey, the centre of the under side light greyish blue, and the lower belly white. The lower part of the throat is decorated on each side with a glossy white spot, and gleams with metallic lustre; the quills are slate-grey and the tail-feathers slate-black, marked with an irregular stripe of lighter shade. The female is recognisable from her mate by the inferiority of her size, and the young birds by their comparatively pale plumage. In all, the eye is pale sulphur-yellow, the beak light yellow, with a red base, and the foot blueish red. The length of the body is sixteen inches and a half, and the breadth twenty-eight inches and a half; the wing measures nine and the tail six inches and a half.

The Ring-dove, so called on account of the white feathers that partially encircle the throat, is the largest of all the wild Pigeons met with in Europe, the warm and temperate portions of which it frequents in large numbers, only visiting such northern countries as Sweden and Norway during the warm seasons. It is particularly fond of fir plantations, and in these its tender, cooing note may be heard during the entire spring and summer. In England these Pigeons resort to woods, coppices, and enclosed ground; and in winter assemble and roost in large parties on the summits of lofty trees, the ash-tree affording them a very favourite gathering-place. Their food consists of young leaves and seeds of various kinds, according to the season of the year. In spring and summer they subsist principally on the tender leaves of growing plants, and often commit great ravages in fields of beans and peas. Spring-sown corn is also attacked by them, both in the grain and the blade; and as soon as young turnips have put forth their second leaves, they, too, become objects of devastation. As the season advances they visit the corn-fields, especially those in the neighbourhood of their native woods, and seek for oily seeds of all kinds with great eagerness. At the approach of autumn they assemble in small flocks, and resort to oak and beech trees, where acorns and beech-mast, swallowed whole, afford them an abundant and nourishing diet. In winter these small flocks unite, and form larger ones, so large, indeed, that it would appear probable that their numbers are considerably augmented by arrivals from colder climates. Both parents assist in making their strange and carelessly constructed abode, which scarcely deserves to be called a nest, being nothing more than a mere platform of twigs, so loosely put together that the brood is distinctly visible through the interstices. The fork of a branch is usually selected as a resting place for the nest. The eggs, two in number, are long, rough-shelled, and of a glossy white; both ends are of equal breadth. The work of incubation is shared by both parents; the father, in such broods as we have observed, taking his place upon the nest from about nine or ten in the morning till three or four in the afternoon. When first hatched the young are fed with pulp from the crops of the adult birds, and, when older with softened seeds. When strong enough to go forth into the world, each parent takes care of a fledgling, and conducts it into the fields to seek for food on its own account. Towards man these birds exhibit much timidity, and if disturbed whilst brooding often desert their eggs.

The Ring-dove is easily tamed, but very rarely breeds in captivity; and even when reared from the nest, if set at liberty, it at once seeks its native woods, and never voluntarily returns.

In all ages of the world this Dove has been regarded with especial favour, and, as a sacred symbol, is in some countries regarded with particular reverence.

The Himalayan Cushat differs from the European by the neck-patch being clayey buff instead of white, and much contracted in size, also in the less extent of the white border to the primaries. Mr. Blyth also notices that whilst in European birds the green gloss prevails above the neck-patch, and amethystine below, the reverse is the case in the Asiatic race. This Wood Pigeon has only been found in the North-western Himalayas, near Simla, and in the Alpine Punjaub. It visits the salt range and the plains of the Punjaub during winter.

THE STOCK DOVE.

The STOCK DOVE (_Columba œnas_) is of a deep blue upon the head, throat, upper wings, lower part of back, and rump; the upper portion of the back is deep greyish blue, the region of the crop rich deep red; the rest of the under side pale blue. The quills and ends of the tail-feathers are slate-blue, the wing is decorated with a dark band, and the neck enlivened by the metallic lustre common to the race of Pigeons. The eye is deep brown, the beak pale yellow, with dark flesh-pink base, powdered with white, and the foot pale red. The young resemble the parent birds, but are duller in their colours. The length of this species is from twelve inches to twelve and a half, and its breadth from twenty-five to twenty-six inches; the wing measures eight inches and a half and the tail five inches.

Many authors have regarded this as the same species as the Rock Dove, or as having but trifling differences. Yarrell, however, considers them to be perfectly distinct, both as to habits, voice, plumage, and the localities which they frequent. "The Stock Dove," says this accurate author, "was called _œnas_[A] on account of the vinous claret-colour of the plumage of the neck; and Stock Dove, not because it was by some considered to be the origin of our domestic stock, but because it builds in the stocks of trees, particularly such as have been headed down, and have become in consequence rugged and bushy at the top." In more open parts of the country, holes in the ground are selected as breeding-places, especially the burrows of rabbits. When the warreners find the young in a burrow, they fix sticks at the mouth of the hole in such a manner as to prevent the escape of the young, but so as to allow the old birds to feed them. Bishop Stanley refers to this bird's habit of building in holes as illustrative of a passage in Scripture. He says; "In the Eastern countries and the Holy Land, the Wild Pigeons almost invariably prefer such situations to trees, thus confirming the words of the prophet, who speaks of the 'dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth' (Jer. xlviii. 28)."

When the eggs are laid in this manner in deserted burrows, they are either placed on the bare sand or upon a few dried roots, about a yard within the entrance. The Stock Dove also nestles under furze bushes, or in the holes of decayed trees. The eggs are two in number, oval and white, and are laid about the end of March or beginning of April. The food of the Stock Dove is similar to that of the last-mentioned species.

The _Columba œnas_ has not been found in Scotland. On the continent of Europe it is abundant, visiting the central and northern parts during the summer, and it has been seen in Northern Africa. It is also said to be met with in the Deccan. The harsh and somewhat grunting note of this species is usually uttered while the bird is perching, and is accompanied by considerable inflation of the throat. When in flight its movements are very rapid and noisy, the wings producing a rushing sound, which gradually becomes shriller and clearer, but altogether subsides when the gently hovering motion commences that precedes alighting. So strong is the love of the Stock Dove for its favourite retreat, that even if repeatedly alarmed it returns immediately to its place. The period of incubation commences early in spring, and, if not disturbed, the female produces three broods in the season, the first eggs being deposited by the beginning of April. During the whole time his mate is thus busily engaged, the male bird testifies the greatest devotion, keeping close to her, and constantly uttering his cooing note. Many are the quarrels that ensue between the various couples at this period, for, as each requires an unused hole in some tree wherein to deposit a brood, the demand is usually greater than the supply, and as these localities are also much resorted to by such formidable antagonists as Starlings, Woodpeckers, and Jackdaws, the domestic career of a pair of Stock Doves is by no means one of uninterrupted peace and harmony. This constant change of domicile is rendered necessary by the rapid accumulation of the castings from the young, with which the inmates become so soiled that some time elapses after they have left the nest before the feathers are thoroughly purified; fortunately for the building birds, by the following season, insects of various kinds and the busy Woodpecker have cleared away the refuse from the holes, and made them fit for occupation. We are told that the affection of this species for its brood is so strong that it is almost impossible to force the parent birds away, and that a female Stock Dove will remain to be shot rather than desert her eggs.

THE ROCK DOVE.

The ROCK DOVE (_Columba livia_)--see Coloured Plate XXVII.--is of a pale greyish hue on the mantle and bright blue on the under side; the head is light slate-blue, the throat deep slate-colour, glistening above with bright blueish green, and on its lower portion with a purple gloss; the rump is white. Two black lines pass across the deep grey wings; the tail-feathers are dark bright blue, tipped with black; those at the exterior are white on the outer web. The eye is sulphur-yellow, the beak black, with a light blue base, and the foot deep blueish red. The sexes are alike, and the young somewhat deeper in their colours than the adult birds. This species is thirteen inches long and twenty-three broad; the wing measures eight inches and one-sixth and the tail four inches and one-third.

The Rock Dove in its natural state inhabits rocky sea-coasts, flying only sufficiently inland to procure food. It is spread over a very wide range of country, being met with as far north as the Faroe Islands, and as far southward as Africa. In Great Britain it is found both on the southern coasts of England and in the east and west of Scotland. In the Orkneys it breeds in the crevices of the rocks, the nests being at such a depth that they are quite out of reach. During the day the Doves associate in flocks and search for food, which consists principally of grain and seeds.

The Rock Dove breeds twice in the season, each brood consisting of two young, generally a male and a female. The eggs are white and of a short oval shape, rather pointed at one end. From this species our Dove-cote Pigeons are derived, and they, like their original progenitors, seldom roost or settle on trees.

The nest of the Rock Dove is a mere heap of straw, dry grass, and twigs, with a slight hollow in its centre for the reception of the eggs, which have a glossy, pure white shell. The female alone builds, but is supplied with materials by her devoted mate, who remains constantly near her both day and night. The blind and unusually helpless young are hatched about sixteen or eighteen days after the eggs are laid, and leave the shell within from twenty-four to thirty-six hours of each other. As with their congeners, the nestlings are at first nourished with pulp from the crops of their parents, then with partially digested seeds, and when fledged, with hard seeds, with the addition of tiny pebbles and bits of clay, to assist the still weak gizzard in the work of trituration. When about a month old the young are strong enough to quit the nest in company with their parents, who, however, soon leave them to their own devices, and at once commence their preparations for a second brood.

"The Blue Pigeon, or Rock Dove of India" says Jerdon, "differs from that of Europe only in having an ash-coloured instead of pure white rump. It is one of the most common and abundant birds, congregating throughout the country in large flocks, and breeding wherever they can find suitable spots. They are most partial to large buildings, such as churches, pagodas, mosques, tombs, and the like, frequently entering verandahs of inhabited houses and building in the cornices. Hollows in walls of cities or towns are favourite places, and in some parts of the country they prefer holes in wells. In default of such spots they will breed in crevices and cavities of rocks, caverns, and sea-side cliffs, and are particularly partial to rocky waterfalls. The celebrated falls of Gaissoppa are tenanted by thousands of Blue Pigeons. These Pigeons are held in respect by most Hindoos, and almost venerated by some, insomuch that if a pair build in the house of a native he considers it a favourable omen."

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The CUCKOO PIGEONS (_Macropygiæ_) constitute a group distinguishable by the slender formation of their bodies, their small heads, long tails, and short wings and feet. These birds are all eminently social in their habits, and frequently keep together in large flocks. All subsist principally upon fruit and seeds, and, in order to obtain these, constantly occupy woods and forests, from whence they occasionally venture forth to seek for food in well-planted gardens and orchards.

THE PASSENGER PIGEON, OR CAROLINA TURTLE-DOVE.

The CAROLINA TURTLE-DOVE, or PASSENGER PIGEON (_Ectopistes migratorius_), a large and well-known member of the above group, inhabiting North America, is very powerfully built, and has a long neck and small head. The medium-sized beak is slenderly formed, and the wing, in which the second quill exceeds the rest in length, long and pointed; the tail is long and graduated, the tarsus strong, but shorter than the centre toe without its claw. The plumage of the mantle is slate-blue and the under side reddish grey; the sides of the throat gleam with violet; the belly and vent are white, the wings black, edged with white; the centre tail-feathers are black, those at the side light grey, marked with greyish brown and black spots at the base of the inner web. The eye is of a brilliant red, the beak black, and the foot crimson. The female is smaller than her mate, with duller plumage, in which greyish brown predominates; her back and rump are whitish grey, and the centre tail-feathers reddish brown. The length of the male is sixteen inches and a quarter, and his breadth twenty-five inches; the wing measures seven inches and two-thirds, and the tail eight inches and one-sixth. In the female, the length is only fifteen and the breadth twenty-three inches. The Carolina Pigeons inhabit the United States during the summer season, from Canada to Florida, and from the sea-coast to the west of the Mississippi. In the Northern and Middle States they are partially migratory. In North and South Carolina they assemble in flocks during the winter, sometimes of many hundred individuals, but in the spring they return northward, and most frequently fly in pairs, more than three or four being rarely seen together. Their flight is rapid, and generally accompanied by a whistling sound. They frequently circle about, but seldom mount above the trees, visiting the fields for the grain they may be able to glean, and live principally on seeds, acorns, and berries; they are also fond of hempseed and Indian corn. In the winter, when food is scarce, they visit the farmyards, and feed in company with other guests.

The nest is but slightly formed of a few twigs, and lined with dry root-fibres. The eggs, two in number, are snow-white. The young are fed by both parents. More than two broods are seldom produced in the year, sometimes there is only one, but this appears to depend upon the time of laying, which in some parts of the United States begins as early as March, in others not until the middle of May, and on the borders of Lake Superior still later in the year. The usual roosting-places of these birds are among long grass in deserted fields, or dried stalks of corn, amid the stubble, or among the withered foliage of trees. They will return to favourite roosting-grounds from a considerable distance; but though a whole flock often settles in one locality, they seldom roost very near to each other, and if any one approach, even in the darkest night, will at once rise and take flight. The note of the Carolina Turtle Dove is low, plaintive, and repeated at intervals; in the early spring it may be heard among the newly-budding trees of the forest, even at a considerable distance.

"The Passenger Pigeon," writes Audubon, "or, as it is usually named in America, the Wild Pigeon, moves with extreme rapidity, propelling itself by quickly repeated flaps of the wings, which it brings more or less near the body, according to the degree of velocity which is required. Like the Domestic Pigeon, it often flies during the love season in a circling manner, supporting itself with both wings angularly elevated, in which position it keeps them until it is about to alight. Now and then, during these circular flights, the tips of the primary quills of each wing are made to strike against each other, producing a smart rap, which may be heard at a distance of thirty or forty yards. Before alighting, the Wild Pigeon, like the Carolina Parrot and a few other species of birds, breaks the force of its flight by repeated flappings, as if apprehensive of receiving injury from coming too suddenly in contact with the branch or spot of ground on which it intends to settle. I have commenced my description of this species with the above account of its flight because the most important facts connected with its habits relate to its migrations. These are entirely owing to the necessity of procuring food, and are not performed with a view of escaping the severity of a northern latitude, or of seeking a southern one for the purpose of breeding. They, consequently, do not take place at any fixed period or season of the year; indeed, it sometimes happens that a continuance of a sufficient supply of food in one district will keep these birds absent from another for years. I know that in Kentucky they remained for several years constantly, and were nowhere else to be found. They all suddenly disappeared, when the mast was exhausted, and did not return for a long period.

"Their great power of flight enables them to survey and pass over an astonishing extent of country in a very short time. This is proved by facts well known. Thus, Pigeons have been killed in the neighbourhood of New York with their crops full of rice, which they must have collected in the fields of Georgia and Carolina, these districts being the nearest in which they could possibly have procured a supply of that kind of food. As their power of digestion is so great that they will decompose food entirely in twelve hours, they must in this case have travelled between three and four hundred miles in six hours, which shows their average rate of speed to be at about one mile in a minute. A velocity such as this would enable one of these birds, were it so inclined, to visit the European continent in less than three days.

"This great power of flight is seconded by as great a power of vision, which enables them, as they travel at that swift rate, to inspect the country below, discover their food with facility, and thus attain the object for which their journey has been undertaken. This I have also proved to be the case by having observed them, when passing over a sterile district, or one scantily furnished with food suited to them, keep high in the air, flying with an extended front, so as to enable them to survey hundreds of acres at once. On the contrary, when the land is richly covered with food, or the trees abundantly hung with mast, they fly low, in order to discover the part most plentifully supplied."

The innumerable hosts in which the Passenger Pigeon moves, as related by Audubon and Wilson, might seem to be almost fabulous.

"On my way to Frankfort," says the latter writer, "when about one o'clock, the Pigeons which I had observed the greater part of the morning flying northerly began to return in such immense numbers as I had never before witnessed. Coming to an opening by the side of a creek called the Benson, where I had a more uninterrupted view, I was astonished at their appearance. They were flying with great steadiness and rapidity at a height beyond gunshot, in several strata deep, and so close together that could shot have reached them one discharge could not have failed of bringing down several individuals. From right to left, as far as the eye could reach, the breadth of this vast procession extended, seeming everywhere equally crowded. Curious to determine how long this appearance would continue, I took my watch out to note the time, and sat down to observe them. It was then half-past one. I sat for more than an hour, but instead of any diminution of this prodigious procession, it seemed to increase in numbers and rapidity, and, anxious to reach Frankfort before night, I rose and went on. About four o'clock in the afternoon I crossed the Kentucky River, at the town of Frankfort, at which time the living torrent above my head seemed as numerous and as extensive as ever. Long after this I observed them in large bodies, that continued to pass for six or eight minutes, and these again were followed by other detached bodies, all moving in the same direction, till after six in the evening. The great breadth of front which this mighty multitude preserved would seem to intimate a corresponding breadth of their breeding-place."

"In the autumn of 1813," relates Audubon, "I left my house at Henderson, on the banks of the Ohio, on my way to Louisville. In passing over the Barrens, a few miles beyond Hardensburg, I observed the Pigeons flying from north-east to south-west in greater numbers than I had ever seen them before, and feeling an inclination to count the flocks that might pass within reach of my eye in one hour, I dismounted, seated myself on an eminence, and began to mark with my pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed. In a short time, finding the task that I had undertaken impracticable, as the birds poured on in countless multitudes, I rose, and counting the dots that had been put down, found that one hundred and sixty-three had been made in twenty-one minutes. I travelled on, and still met more the farther I proceeded. The air was literally filled with Pigeons; the light of noon-day was obscured as by an eclipse; the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes of snow, and the continued buzz of wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose.