THE PASSENGER PIGEON 249 



under tail coverts. The female somewhat re- 

 sembles the male in colour ; but the head is brown, 

 the under parts are greyer, and most of the iri- 

 descent hues are absent. She is also slightly smaller. 

 The young are said to be browner than the female, 

 and most of the feathers of the upper parts have 

 pale margins. The throat and centre of the belly 

 are whitish ; the neck and breast are brown, with 

 pale margins to the feathers. The total length 

 of the adult male is about sixteen inches, the 

 graduated tail being eight inches in length. 



