576 GAME BISDS OF CALIFOENIA 



and back of head, more ashy on chin and cheeks; base of bill stia'w yellow, end 

 black; naked eyelids, coral red; narrow collar around hind neck, white, averaginj^ 

 more conspicuous in males; broad area on sides and back of neck (below white 

 collar), iridescent bronzy green; back dark olive brown; rump and bases of tail 

 feathers, dark bluish gray; ill-defined band across middle of tail, dull black; 

 terminal portions of tail feathers, drab, lightest on outer ones; outer surface of 

 closed wing, chiefly light gray, the coverts narrowly margined with .white ; flight 

 feathers brownish black; lining of wing and axillars, gray; under surface of 

 flight feathers dull brown ; under surface of body pinkish brown or vinaceous, 

 deepest on breast and sides, paling to almost white on belly; under tail coverts 

 white; under sui-faee of terminal portion of tail whitish, distinctly lighter than 

 upper surface of same ; feet straw yellow. In some females the tone of coloration 

 verges towards grayish rather than pinkish brown. Males: Total length 14.12- 

 15.81 inches (359-402 mm.) (ten specimens from California and Arizona) ; folded 

 Aving 8.20-8.67 (208-220); bill along culmen 0.65-0.71 (16..5-18.0) ; tarsus 1.05- 

 1.09 (26.6-27.6) (eight specimens from California). Females: Total length 13.75- 

 15.75 (349-400) (ten specimens from California and Arizona) ; folded wing 

 8.00-8.86 (203-225); bill along culmen 0.67-0.75 (17.0-19.0); tarsus 0.95-1.11 

 (24.0-28.2) (ten specimens from California). Juvenile plumage: Similar to that 

 of adult, but vinaceous tinge wholly lacking; neck without white collar or irides- 

 cent bronzing; under surface dark brownish, with feather tippings of lighter 

 color, giving a faintly scaled effect. 



Marks for field identification — Largest of our wild pigeons (about the 

 bulk of a domestic pigeon) ;* general bluish coloration; distinct dark band 

 across middle of square-ended tail (fig. 88) ; wings without white patches. 



A^oiCE — Much like that of the domestic pigeon ; a deep coo-coo, iucl'-o6, or 

 wlwo-hcG-lioo ; occasionally a more spirited Iwoii-ah-wlwo, or tvhoo-uffh (Grinnell, 

 1905, p. 382; Bailey, 1902, p. 139). 



Nest — A crude platform of twigs, of very loose construction ; most often situ- 

 ated on a moderately large horizontal branch of an oak (less often in a pine), 

 and at heights ranging from eight to thirty feet above ground (authors). 



Eggs- — Usually 1, rarely 2, elongately ovate, white in color, and measuring in 

 inches, 1.08 to 1.15 by 1.55 to 1.69 (in millimeters, 27.4 to 29.3 by 39.5 to 43.0), 

 and averaging 1.59 by 1.11 (40.4 by 28.2) (five eggs, four sets, from California: 

 Mus. Vert. Zool., and Sharp, 1903, p. 16). 



General distribution — Western parts of United States and Mexico. Sum- 

 mers from southwestern British Columbia, Avestern Washington, Avestern Oregon, 

 northern Utah, and north-central Colorado, south through the southwestern United 

 States and Mexico to Nicaragua, and east to western Texas; winters from north- 

 ern middle California southward (modified from A. O. U. Check-list, 1910, p. 147). 



Distribution in California — Common but irregular winter visitant below the 

 level cf heavy snow, and west of the Sierran divide; occurs in summer in small 

 numbers, and breeds, in the belts of black oak and golden oak (Transition life 

 zone) in both the Sierras and Coast Eanges, south to Laguna Mountains, southern 

 San Diego County. 



The Band-tailed Pigeon is the largest of the four members of the 

 pigeon family inhabiting California. Its wide distribution in winter 

 throughout the foothill belt, together with its size and exeellently 

 flavored flesh have combined to make it an object of pursuit by sports- 

 men for over half a centurv. The inevitable result has been that its 



