Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/94

82 TURTLE DOVE risorius, Selby) is 10 in. long; the general colors are different shades of pale wood-brown, with even paler edgings, tinged with vinace- ous on the under parts, and with a half collar of black on the hind neck. It is found wild in most parts of Af- rica, bat is now widely distributed as a cage bird. If left at liberty, it flies away, and does not seem ca- pable of domesti- cation like the common pigeon ; in warm climates seven or eight broods are raised in a season. It is doubtless the tur- tle of the Scrip- tures, and is still numerous in Egypt and Asia Minor, deri- ving its specific name from a fancied resem- blance of its cooing to a human laugh. In the genus ana (Selby) the bill is moderate and very slender, the wings long with the first three quills nearly equal and longest, and the tail of 12 feathers, very long and wedge-shaped, with the two middle feathers narrowed. The Cape turtle dove (CE. Capensw, Selby) is 10 in. long, of which the tail is more than half, the closed wings reaching to about one third the length of the tail ; in the male the forehead, chin, throat, and upper breast are intense black ; crown, sides of neck and body, and lesser wing coverts pale French gray ; middle of abdomen white ; back pale brown ; wings deeper brown, with a few metallic purple spots ; two black bars on the rump ; middle tail feathers grayish brown, with terminal half black, and the rest bluish gray with a broad black band near the tip ; bill and feet yellow. It is seen on trees bordering the rivers of S. Africa, making its Collared Turtle Dove (Turtur riso- rius). Carolina Turtle Dove (Zenaidura Carolinensis). nest in low bushes. In North America is found the Carolina turtle dove (senaidura Carolinen- sis, Bonap.), about 12| in. long and 17J- in. in TUSCALOOSA alar extent; the bill is weak and black; the wings pointed, with the second quill the long- est, and the first and third nearly equal ; tail longer than the wings, much graduated and wedge-shaped, and of 14 feathers; though much smaller, it resembles the passenger or wild pigeon in its lengthened tail. It is bluish above, mixed with light brownish olive, the former purest on the crown, wings, and upper surface of tail ; the rest of head, sides of neck, and under parts generally light brownish red, purplish on breast, becoming brownish yellow behind ; patch of metallic purplish on the sides of neck ; sides of body and under surface of wings light blue ; black spots on wings, and patch of same below ears; tail above with a subterminal black bar and light tip ; feet yel- low ; the female is smaller and less reddish below. It is found all over the United States and in Cuba, and from ocean to ocean ; it is rare in the British Atlantic provinces, though common on the Columbia river. The flight is extremely rapid and long eontinued, but not at a great height, and accompanied by a whistling noise ; it walks with ease and grace, and runs swiftly ; it seldom bathes, but drinks by swal- lowing water in long draughts, with the bill deeply immersed ; it is rather shy, and difficult to shoot from the rapid flight ; 200 or 300 con- stitute a large flock, which scatter over so large a space that it is not easy to kill more than one at a shot, except in winter when they come near farm houses ; the flesh is excellent, and great numbers are killed in the southern states in winter. In Louisiana they begin to lay by the last of March, but in New England not before the middle of May ; the nest is made in any kind of tree, and is very loosely constructed ; it breeds in aviaries, raising sev- eral broods in a season. The eggs are two,*l by | in., equally rounded at both ends, and pure white. None of the turtle doves commit serious depredations in the fields of grain, as they are rather gleaners than reapers. The fam- ily characters have been given under PIGEON. TISCALOOSA, a W. county of Alabama, inter- sected by the Black Warrior and Sipsey rivers; area, 1,450 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 20,081, of whom 8,294 wore colored. The surface is hilly and the soil highly fertile. Iron ore, bitumi- nous coal, and carboniferous limestone are found. The Alabama and Chattanooga rail- road traverses it. The chief productions in 1870 were 7,551 bushels of wheat, 343,569 of Indian corn, 7,718 of oats, 6,951 of peas and beans, 41,262 of sweet potatoes, 120,010 Ibs. of butter, and 6,458 bales of cotton. There were 1,245 horses, 1,378 mules and asses, 2,768 milch cows, 5,418 other cattle, 6,139 sheep, and 1 1,046 swine ; 2 manufactories of cotton goods, 1 of iron castings, 2 of stone and earthen ware, 2 flour mills, 2 tanneries, 2 currying establish- ments, and 1 saw mill. Capital, Tuscaloosa. TIS< ALOOSA, a city of Alabama, capital of Tuscaloosa co., and of the state from 1826 to 1846, on the left bank of the Black Warrior