302 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
tertials nearest the body, there is a dark dusky spot, 
almost black: Yarrell seems to think the spot on 
the coverts is only occasional; my two stuffed speci- 
mens, however, as well as the live one, possess it, 
and Meyer seems to think it constant, as he says a 
row of black blotches takes the place of the two rows 
or bands of black on the wings of the Rock Dove: 
on the sides of the neck the feathers have a metallic 
oloss reflecting green and purple: the quills are 
dusky ; the rump and tail-coverts are a lighter shade 
of the same colour as the back; the tail-feathers are 
dusky at the tip, all the rest is bluish grey, except 
the base of the outer web of the outside feather on 
each side, which is white; the chin and throat are 
the same as the back and head; on the breast there 
is a beautiful pinkish purple tinge; the rest of the 
under parts are nearly the same as the upper, but 
rather lighter, especially on the belly; the legs, toes 
and claws are reddish brown. The male and female 
scarcely differ in plumage, except that the female is 
not quite so brightly coloured as the male. ‘The 
young before their first moult have no shining 
metallic feathers on the neck, and the dark spots on 
the wings are wanting.* 
The egg is white, like that of the Wood Pigeon, 
but smaller. 
Rock Doves, Columba livia. This is the species 
* Yarrell, vol. 11, p. 297. 
