506 



SCRATCHING BIRDS — RASORES. 



Columba fasciata, Say. 



THE BAND-TAIL PIGEON. 



Columbu fasciata, S\Y,'Long'sExpc(\. R. Mts. II. 1823, 10. — Bonaparte, Amcr. Orn. I. 

 1825, 77; pi. viii. — Nuttall, Man. I. 1832, 624. — Auduiion, Orn. Biog. IV. 1838, 

 479 ; pi. 367. Ib. Syn. 1839, 191. Ib. Birds Amer. IV. 1842, 312 ; pi. 279. — New- 

 berry, Zool. Cal. and Or. Route; P. R. Rep. VI. iv. 92. — Baird, P. R. Rep. Birds, 

 IX. 597. — Cooper .ind .Suckley, XU. iii. Zool. of W. T. 217. — Codes, Pr. A. N. 

 Sc. 1866, 93. 



Columba monilis, Vigors, Zool. Beechcy's Voy. 1839, 26 ; pi. x. 



Sp. Cii.\u. Above, olivaceous tinged with ash, dianging on the wing coverts to bluish- 

 ash, of which color are the hinder part of the back, rump, and basal portion of the tail. 



Tlic terminal third of the tail is whitish-brown, witli a tinge of ash, succeeding a narrow 

 bar of dusky. Head all round, siiles of neck, and under parts, including (he tibia, puri>lish- 

 violet ; the middle of the abdomen, anal region, and crissum, whitish. Tibia and throat 

 tinged with blue. Quills brown, narrowly margined with white. A conspicuous narrow 

 half-collar of wdiite on the nape ; the feathers below this to the upper part of the back 

 metallic golden gi'ccn. 



Female similar, with less purple ; the nuchal collar of white obsolete or wanting. 



Length, about 15.50; extent, 25.00 , wing, 0.00 ; tail, C. 20. Iris carmine, edged with 

 gold ; bill yellow, black at tip ; feet yellow. 



Ilab. From Rocky ^Mountains to Pacific Coast ; south to Oriz.aba. 



This large and beautiful binl is eommon in the mountains of most parts 

 of California, wherever there are trees, and descends to the valleys in quest 



