412 BLUE-HEADED PIGEON.
Plumage compact all over. Wings short, rounded, third, fourth and
fifth quills longest and almost equal; second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth
slightly cut out on the outer web. Tail of moderate length, slightly
rounded, of twelve broad rounded feathers.
Bill bright blue above, the fleshy parts at the base bright carmine. Iris
very dark brown. Scales of the feet carmine, the interspaces white;
claws bluish-grey. The general colour of the plumage above is a rich
deep chocolate, slightly tinged with olive, beneath brownish-red, lighter
on the middle of the breast, the sides and under tail coverts approaching
to the tint of the back. The upper part of the head bright blue, encircled
by a band of deep black, broader on the occiput, and very narrow
in front; a band of white under the eye meeting its fellow on the chin, a
broad patch of black on the fore neck, margined with white beneath, and
on the sides spotted with bright blue.
Length 12^ inches, extent of wings 17J; bill along the ridge f, along
the edge 1; tarsus 1£, middle toe 1£ ; weight 10\ oz.
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Adult Female. Plate CLXXII. Fig. 2.
The Female is rather less, but in external appearance resembles the
male.
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The beautiful Cyperus represented in this plate is quite abundant on
all the dry Keys of the Floridas, and is also found in many parts of the
interior of the peninsula.
( 4 1 3 )
T H E BARN SWALLOW.
HiRUNDO RUSTICA, LlNN.
P L A T E C L X X I I I . MALE, FEMALE, AND NEST.
THERE is a pleasure known but to few, a pleasure which I have often
enjoyed and still enjoy, whenever an opportunity occurs. It is when
the heats of summer have already swelled the fruits of our fields, our
gardens, and our orchards ; when Nature herself benignantly smiles on the
rich scenery which she has thus embellished; when the husbandman
guides the healthful labours of his sons, and wields the instruments of
his humble but important calling from the early dawn to the noontide
hour of repose; when the bee herself for a while retires from the
honeyed flower, which now languishingly droops on its tender stem;
when the cattle recline beneath the broad shade of some majestic tree,
and the labourers retire to the banks of some favourite brook to enjoy
their frugal meal, and quench their thirst from the limpid waters. Now
all is silent, sweet sleep closes their eyes, and nature seems to pause in
her labours. But no sooner have the meridian hours passed, than all return
to their occupations, and again every thing is full of life and activity.
Observe that passing Swallow, how swiftly she glides around us, how
frequently she comes and goes, how graceful her flight, how pleasant
her musical twitterings, how happy she seems to be ! Now she has again
entered the bam. I will follow her into her summer abode, and laying
myself down on the fragrant new-mown hay, watch her motions in silence.
Ah! over my head a nest is firmly fixed to each rafter; nay on this and
that are placed several, and the barn is filled with swallows and their
melodies. Happy and charming little creatures! There a female sits on
her eggs, and is receiving a store of insects from the mouth of her mate.
Having fed her, he solaces her with a soft chattering voice, and away he
goes in search of more food. Here is another nest filled to the brim with
young birds trimming their new clothing, and shaking their little wings,
while their parents approach with a supply of food. See how they open
their yellow throats! There, howbusily are these two birds occupied in sticking
layer after layer of damp sandy earth mixed with bits of grass against