The mountain dove is also nearly the size of a house pigeon, has the same red-coloured bill and legs, but its feathers are of a brown colour. It differs but little from the ring-neck dove, being only a size larger, and builds its nest on trees in the mountains, or at the sides of steep precipices, where it makes a pleasing, loud, plaintive noise. The ring-neck dove builds in coverts in the woods, as does also the partridge, which is likewise a species of the dove kind, but from its great resemblance, it is called the pieddrié by the French. The flesh of the three kinds is much liked, but has a bitter taste, as has that of most other birds of the country, owing to the berries they feed on; this taste, though at first disagreeable, is soon relished by most people, and they are reckoned very wholesome. The ground dove is not much bigger than a lark when stripped of its feathers, which are of a brown colour. It has a red bill and legs, makes a pleasing plaintive noise, and when killed in season its flesh is very fat, and of a delicious flavour; for which reason it is generally called the West-India ortolon. The mackaw is of the parrot kind, but larger than the common parrot, and makes a more disagreeable, harsh noise. They are in great plenty, as are also parrots in this island; have both of them a delightful green and yellow plumage, with a scarlet-coloured fleshy substance from the ears to the root of the bill, of which colour is likewise the chief feathers of their wings and tails. They breed on the tops of the highest trees, where they feed on the berries in great numbers together; and are easily discovered by their loud chattering noise, which at a distance resembles human voices. The mackaws cannot be taught to articulate words; but the parrots of this country may, by taking pains with them when caught young. The flesh of both is eat, but being very fat, it wastes in roasting, and eats dry and insipid; for which reason, they are chiefly used to make soup of, which is accounted very nutritive. The hawks are of two kinds, the one of the largest size of those species, the other that of the small sort in England. They are both very ferocious, commit great depredations among the other birds in the woods, and on the plantations often destroy fowls and house pigeons.