two distinct bands of bluish black across the wings. These marks are more or less maintained through all our domestic varieties; or, indeed, if by the breeder's art they become extinct for a generation or two, they are ever ready to break out again, often to the disappointment of the fancier, whose aim seems to be to distort nature, as if such distortions were truly beautiful. These three species are permanent residents of our island, as well as of a great portion of the European continent. The fourth species is a summer bird of passage; it is the celebrated TURTLE DOVE. (Columba Turtur.) This interesting species is widely disseminated, being spread not only through the middle and southern provinces of Europe, but through the greater portion of Africa and Asia. In the British isles it is, however, limited in its places of residence. In Kent it is the most abundant, and is also tolerably common in the southern and midland counties, but it is scarce in the northern and western parts of the island. In Europe, and the adjacent parts of Asia, it appears to be universally migratory, hence "the voice of the Turtle" is one of the confirmations of the "For, return of spring as it was in the days of Solomon. lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land." Song Sol. ii. 11, 12. The beginning of May, when nature is clad in her freshest robes of beauty, is the period in which the plaintive cooing notes of the Turtle are first heard in the solitary recesses of our woods, harmonising with the shriller melody of a thousand warblers, and adding to the soulfelt emotions, which the budding of trees and the opening of flowers, the music and the odours of spring, reviving from the deathlike trance of winter, conspire to awaken. The stay of the Turtle is, however, very short: early in September, before the "sear and yellow leaf” of autumn gives token of the waning year, it takes its departure for a warmer climate. With us, it breeds only once in the season, building on the branches or among the clustering ivy of aged trees a shallow loosely constructed nest of sticks and twigs. The eggs are two, and of a pure white. It generally happens that several pairs, invited by the seclusion of the place, (the densest part of the wood,) form a sort of colony, building their nests on adjoining trees or close together on the same. From this retreat they pay a morning and evening visit to the open cultivated fields in quest of food, grain and peas being their diet; the latter are especially relished, so that flocks of these birds are regularly to be seen going and returning to the pea-fields when the peas are ripe. Independent of the elegance of its shape, the Turtle is a most beautiful bird. In length it is about eleven inches; the tail is slightly graduated; the upper part of the head and neck is ashy gray, with a pearly tinge; the back is brown; the wing-coverts are dusky brown in the centre, with a border on each feather of reddish brown inclining to rufous; smaller wing-coverts gray; quill-feathers brown; tail-feathers dusky brown, all, except the two middle, being tipped with white. The sides of the neck are marked by a patch of small stiff black feathers, with white margins; ORDER IV.-GALLINACEOUS. 222 ᎧᎧ breast bright chocolate; under surface pure white. The young birds are destitute of the patch of peculiar feathers on the sides of the neck. The Turtle Dove has been a favourite in all ages and in all countries: its innocence, its beauty, its attachment to its mate, its plaintive soothing voice, even the very time of its appearance, all conspire to give it interest. It has been universally chosen as the emblem of peace, of harmony, and fidelity; its very presence denotes, in the language of poetry, quiet and happiness. Hence Virgil, in numbers as soft as its voice, paints a scene of rural tranquillity, to which it adds the charm of its presence. "Hinc altâ sub rupe canet frondator ad auras. VIRGIL, Ecl. i. Beneath yon cliff the blithe vine-dresser there M. But leaving the allusions to it which we meet with in other works, we cannot omit to observe that it is one of the birds especially noticed in the Holy Scriptures, perhaps more so than any other. The first mention of it is in Genesis viii. Noah, in order to ascertain the degree to which the deluge had subsided, sent out, as it will be recollected, first a raven, which meeting probably with food among the mingled exuviæ floating on the waters, felt no inclination to return to the ark; but besides the raven, "he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; but the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark; for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. Then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. And the dove came to him in the evening, and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove, which returned not again unto him any more." Gen. viii. 8-12. In Leviticus the Turtle Dove is mentioned as among the trespass-offerings according to the Mosaic dispensation; offerings typical of the sacrifice for sin upon Calvary of Him who was "holy, harmless, and undefiled." Its plaintive voice is alluded to in Isaiah xxxviii. where Hezekiah says, "I did mourn as a dove." The Psalmist also, in reference to its rapidity of flight and habits of migration to a sunny climate on the approach of winter, exclaims, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest: lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness: I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest." Ps. lv. 6-8. Jeremiah reproaches the stubbornness and ignorance of the jewish nation, by pointing to the migratory birds which obey the laws of their Creator in the observance of their appointed seasons, and says, "the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people know not the judgment of the Lord." Jer. viii. 7. But leaving the Old Testament, where the allusions to the dove are very numerous, and many (as for example the passage above quoted from the Psalms) of exquisite beauty, we find the dove equally noticed in the New Testament. The blessed Jesus sending forth his disciples to preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand," gives them this warning, "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matt. x. 16. But the Dove, besides these testimonies in its favour, by which we are naturally inclined to regard it with interest, is mentioned in allusion to the visible appearance in which the Holy Spirit was seen to descend upon the Redeemer at his baptism: "And lo, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him." Matt. iii. 16. See also Mark i. 10; Luke iii. 22; and John i. 32: "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him." Reader, when you see the Dove, let it call to mind these passages of holy writ, and in your own meditations follow them out through all their bearings; the Dove will not be seen then without even spiritual profit. We would add also, let it be a pattern to you of gentleness, meekness, truth, and obedience to the laws of your heavenly Father, who has laid down a better defined and surer course for you than for the turtle, the crane, and the swallow. Remember, too, that, like them, you are, while on earth, a sojourner in a strange land, your brighter home being in another sphere, where "thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself;" Where" everlasting spring abides And never-withering flowers." Thither at the appointed time will believers in Jesus, those who are faithful unto death, speed their heavenward flight, and leave earth's wintry scenes, the storm and the tempest, far behind. Another beautiful species of Turtle Dove from Africa, the COLLARED TURTLE, (Columba risoria,) is often kept in aviaries, or in cages, breeding freely in captivity. It is of a pale fawn colour, with a black crescent-shaped mark on the back of the neck. New Holland possesses many species of pigeon, and some of singular beauty, having their plumage of a metallic lustre; such for example is the BRONZE-WINGED PIGEON, (C. Chalcoptera,) and the MAGNIFICENT PIGEON, (C. magnifica.) The Magnificent Pigeon is a large species, being sixteen inches in length. The plumage above is fine golden green, the wing-coverts being spotted with yellow; the head is ash-coloured; the secondary quill and tail feathers are deep changeable green; the upper part of the chest violet purple; breast and under parts sapphire green. India and the isles adjacent also possess most beautiful species of the present family. Among these are a group termed Vinago, with short tarsi feathered to the toes, and |