. Cassell's natural history . prolific, and most are polygamous. As a rule, thenest is generally placed on the ground ; the young are hatched covered with down, and,in a few hours, are capable of running about and following their parent. They pick upthe food to which the mother conducts them, without having to be fed like the young ofthe finches and warblers in their snug nests, till they acquire the powci of flitting night they find repose huddled up beneatli tlicir mothers wing. The males of the species are extremely pugnacious, and will often fight till the doatli ofone of the riva
. Cassell's natural history . prolific, and most are polygamous. As a rule, thenest is generally placed on the ground ; the young are hatched covered with down, and,in a few hours, are capable of running about and following their parent. They pick upthe food to which the mother conducts them, without having to be fed like the young ofthe finches and warblers in their snug nests, till they acquire the powci of flitting night they find repose huddled up beneatli tlicir mothers wing. The males of the species are extremely pugnacious, and will often fight till the doatli ofone of the rivals. The females are devoted to their broods, and lose all sense of personaldano-er in their defence. Of none of the Gallinaceous birds is the flesh unfit for food. o That of many is a delicacy, and, at the same time, easily digestible and highlynutritious. The qualities of pheasants, partridges, quails, and grouse certainly need norecommondation. Ilif FiitsT Family of the present Order is that of the Pigeons.* • Columbida?.. THE CROWNED GOURA PIGEON.* This magnificent and beautiful bird is a native of many of the islands of the great IndianArchipelago, being by no means rare in Java and Banda. In New Guinea it is abundant,as well as in most of the Molucca Islands. It inhabits the forests, and feeds upon berries,seeds and grain. It exceeds in size all the other Columbine sj^ecies, being from twenty-seven to twenty-eight inches in extreme length. The bill, which is two inches long, isblack ; the tips of the mandibles are thickened, and that of the upper one moderatelydeflected. The head is adorned with a large, elevated, semicircidar, and compressedcrest, composed of narrow, straight feathers, fuinished with disconnected silky barbules,and alwa3s carried erect. This, as well as the head, the neck, and all the inferior partsof the body, are of a pure grayish-blue colour. Its nest is built upon a tree. These birds are easdy rendered tamed; and in the East Indies they are frequent
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1854
