428 



BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



^urtIe=&o\)e. 



The Turtle-dove {Tiirtur auriiits^ Gray), which is one 

 of our summer migrants, is met with in the Western 

 Palearctic Region. The adult male has the head, neck, 

 breast, and back, light wood-brown, tinged with pearl-grey; 

 on either side of neck is a conspicuous patch of black 

 feathers, with white tips; scapulars and wing-coverts, dark- 

 brown, margined with cinnamon-brown; primaries, brownish- 

 black; two centre feathers of tail, clove-brown; remainder 

 of feathers have white tips ; breast, pale vinous-red ; belly, 

 white; flanks, lavender; under tail-coverts, white; irides, 

 rufous; bill, brown; legs and feet, crimson. Length, eleven 

 or twelve inches. The adult female is similar to the male, 

 but the plumage is duller in colour. The young in first 

 plumage want the patch on the neck. 



