THE BAXU-TAJLED PIGEON. 553 



No. 223. 



BAND-TAILED PIGEON. 



A. O. U. Xo. 312. Columba fasciata Sa}-. 



Synonyms. — ^^'ILD Pickdn. "Passenger Pigeon" (as frt-iiucntly mis- 

 identified ). 



Description. — Adult male: Head and neck all around and underjiarts, chang- 

 on abdomen, dull wine-purplish, darkest on crown and chest, lightening, more 

 bluish, on chin and upper throat ; a sharp, narrow cervical collar of white : behind 

 this is a crescentic patch of rounded feathers in scale-like arrangement, iridescent, 

 with brassy and bronze-green reflections : liack. scapulars, and tertials lustrous 

 purplish-slate : rump, upper tail-coverts, wing-coverts, lining of wings, sides and 

 flanks ashy blue; crissum and under tail-coverts \vhite ; flight-feathers dusky: 

 tail ashy blue basally, ashy brown terminally and crossed by a broad subterminai 

 band of dusky. Bill yellow, tipped with black ; legs and feet yellow with black 

 nails; a prominent red eye-ring. .Idiilt female: Like male Ijut ])aler; head ami 

 neck piu'plish ; ashv brown below; cervical collar and metallic crocent sulxlued 

 or wanting. Length about 16.00 (406.41 ; wing S.40 (213.4) ; tail 5.1,0 ( 141 (.9) ; 

 bill .75 (ig.i) ; tarsus I.OO (23.4). 



Recognition A\arks. — Little hawk size; a little larger than a duniestic pigeon 

 and appearing much like one; tail feathers rounded; cooing nutes; and noisy- 

 flapping flight. 



Nesting. — Xest: a rude platform of sticks placed at various heights in trees, 

 usualh- close to stem of fir sajiling, or, not infrequently, none, the bird placing egg 

 on ground or shifting it at convenience. Eggs: usually i, sometimes 2, pure 

 white, elliptical ovate in shape. Av. size, 1.52 x 1.18 (38.6x30). Season: May 

 to Jid\- locally; in southern |:ortion of range the l)irds lay thru the year; two or 

 more broods. 



General Range. — Western United States frum Riick} Mountains to the 

 Pacific ; north to western British Columbia : south to Mexico and the highlands 

 of Guatemala; of irregular distribution southerly, chiefly in wooded mountainous 

 districts, northerly chiefly in secluded valleys. 



Range in Washington. — Xot common summer resident an<l migrant west of 

 the Cascades; of local distribution, occurring chieflv in small colonies in heav\- 

 coastal timber or in sequestered valleys — rapidly diminishing in numbers. 



Authorities.— Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858. ]>. 598. T. CiK:S. L'. 

 Rh. Kb. Ra. Kk. B. E. 



Specimens. — (V. of W.) P. Prov. B. E. 



TO .KX'Y but thin-blooded \'egetarians the sight of a flock of "W'ikI 

 Pigeons," clustered about the trucks and halyards of a gaunt cedar, is a suffi- 

 cient excuse for appetite. The liirds have gorged themsel\-es, during the earh' 

 morning hours, upon berries and \rnmg acorns, and have retired to these 

 placid heights to ruminate and fatten, ^^'hatever ma\' be the attractions of 

 nurserv or larder, the Band-tailed Figei>n is ne\'er so thoroU- at home as in 



