270 COLUMBA LI VIA. 



dusky towards the end, as are the outer secondaries. There 

 are two broad bars of black on the wing, one extending over 

 the six inner secondary quills, the other over the secondary 

 coverts, the outer two excepted. The tail has a broad terminal 

 band of black, and the outer web of the lateral feather is white. 

 The downy part of the feathers is greyish- white, excepting on 

 the white part of the back, where it is pure white. 



Lens^h to end of tail 14 inches, to end of wings when closed 

 12f ; extent of wings 27 ; wing from flexure 9f ; tail 5 ; bill 

 along the back {§, along the edge of lower mandible 1 ; tarsus 

 \f^ ; first toe i, its claw y% ; second toe i§, its claw ^^ ; third 

 toe 1 1\, its claw 5 J twelfths ; fourth toe ^ J, its claw 4g twelfths. 



Female. — The only external differences which the female 

 presents consist of her being a little smaller, and having the 

 shining colours on the neck less extended. The scutella on 

 the tarsus of an individual were eight, on the first toe six, the 

 second nine, the third thirteen, the fourth eleven. 



Length to end of tail 13i inches; extent of wings 26^; 

 wing from flexure 9i ; tail 4j ; bill along the back i§, along 

 the edge of lower mandible 1 ; tarsus 1-^^ ; first toe i, its 

 claw 1% ; second toe i§, its claw ^% ; third toe l/j, its claw 

 5i twelfths ; fourth toe \\, its claw 4i twelfths. 



Variations. — Among the vast numbers of undoubtedly wild 

 birds of this species which I have seen, I have not observed 

 any remarkable variations of form or colour. The dark-colour- 

 ed, purple, and white individuals, which are occasionally seen 

 consorting w^ith the w^ild doves, or residing in maritime caves 

 or rocks, are in all probability domestic birds that have be- 

 taken themselves to the original mode of life of the species. 

 As the moulting season approaches, the blue tint becomes 

 much paler, especially on the wings. The outer primary quills 

 are often tinged with brown, in consequence of the bird's strik- 

 ing the ground with its wings when commencing its flight, and 

 the bill is frequently more or less crusted with earth or mud, 

 which, however, is the case with many other birds, as the 

 Rook, the Blackbird, the Common Thrush, and the Field 



