Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/420

384 I never felt, nor did my companion, that our faces and hands were covered with musquitoes ; and although the perspiration made my eyes smart, I was as much delighted as ever I had been on such an occasion. We travelled onward, much in the same manner, until we reached the opposite end of the island ; but not another bird did we meet this day.

As we sat near the shore gazing on the curious light pea-green co- lour of the sea, I unfolded my prize, and as I now more quietly observed the brilliant changing metallic hues of its plumage, I could not refrain from exclaiming — " But who will draw it ?"" for the obvious difficulties of copying nature struck me as powerfully as they ever had done, and brought to my memory the following passage : — " La nature se joue du pinceau des hommes; — lorsqu' on croit qu'il a atteint sa plus grande beaute, elle sourit et s'embeUit encore !""

We returned along the shore of this curious island to the garrison, after which Major Glassel's barge conveyed me on board of the Marion.

I have taken upon myself to name this species the Key West Pigeon, and offer it as a tribute to the generous inhabitants of that island, who favoured me with their friendship.

The flight of this bird is low, swift, and protracted. I saw several afterwards when they were crossing from Cuba to Key West, the only place in which I found them. It flies in loose flocks of from five or six to a dozen, with flappings having an interval apparently of six feet, so very low over the sea, that one might imagine it on the eve of falling into the water every moment. It is fond of going out from the thickets early in the morning, for the purpose of cleansing itself in the shelly sand that surrounds the island ; but the instant it perceives danger it flies off" to the woods, throws itself into the thickest part of them, alights on the ground, and runs off with rapidity until it thinks itself secure. The jetting motions of its tail are much like those of the Carolina Dove, and it moves its neck to and fro, forward and backward, as Pigeons are wont to do.

The cooing of this species is not so soft or prolonged as that of the Common Dove, or of the Zenaida Dove, and yet not so emphatical as that of any true Pigeon with which I am acquainted. It may be imitated by pronouncing the following syllables : — Whoe-whoe-oh-oh-oh. When suddenly approached by man, it emits a guttural gasping-like sound, somewhat in the manner of the Common Tame Pigeon on such an