24 The Passenger Pigeon 



hoary white, lightest near the tips, deepening into bluish 

 near the bases, where each is crossed on the inner vane 

 with a broad spot of black, and nearer the root with 

 another of ferruginous; primaries edged with white; 

 bastard wing, black. 



The female is about half an inch shorter, and an inch 

 less in extent; breast, cinerous brown; upper part of 

 the neck, inclining to ash ; the spot of changeable gold, 

 green, and carmine, much less, and not so brilliant; 

 tail coverts, brownish slate; naked orbits, slate colored; 

 in all other respects like the male in color, but less 

 vivid and more tinged with brown; the eye not so 

 brilliant an orange. In both the tail has only twelve 

 feathers. 



