COLUMBID^E — THE PIGEONS. 



361 



metallic golden-green, with an occasional bronzy reflection, the feathers somewhat 



squamate. Bill and feet yellow, the former black at the end ; iris red. Length, about 



15.00; wing, 8.80; tail, 6.10. Female smaller, and less deeply colored, the purplish tint 



more ashy ; sometimes Avith the 



nuchal white band obsolete or _ _ . 



wanting ; the abdomen whitish, 



etc. 



Hab. Pacific Province of 

 United States, and table-lands 

 of Mexico, to Guatemala. Oax- 

 aca (Sol. 1858, 304) ; Xalapa, 

 1859, 369 (Cordova, 1856, 359) ; 

 Guatemala (Salvin, Ibis, II, 

 276) ; Fort Whipple, Arizona 

 (CouES, P. A. N. S. 1866, 93); 

 Vera Cruz, alpine region (Sum. 

 M. Post. Soc. I, 562). 





Columba fasciata. 



Specimens — even those Z _ 

 from the same locality — 

 vary a great deal in size, 

 particularly as to the bill, and there is also considerable variation in the 

 shade and depth as well as the extent of the purplish tint ; this varies from 

 a purplish-chocolate tint to nearly violaceous, and sometimes tinges the ends 

 of the lower tail-coverts ; sometimes the back has faint bronzy reflections. 

 Guatemalan skins have the white edgings to the wing-coverts less conspicu- 

 ous than in northern ones, showing an approximation to the features of var. 

 alhilinca of Costa Eica ; they also have a shorter bill than California speci- 

 mens. Oregon birds, on the other hand, have longer bills than the Califor- 

 nia, and are considerably darker in color. 



Habits. The Band-tailed Pigeon was first met with in Long's expedition 

 to the Eocky Mountains, and described by Say in 1823. It is found from 

 the northern Eocky Mountains westward to the Pacific, and from Central 

 America northward along the whole of tlie Pacific Coast as far to the north 

 as Washington Territory, and probably portions of British Columbia. 



Mr. Townsend, quoted by Audubon, noticed this Pigeon from tlie eastern 

 spurs of the Eocky Mountains across to the Columbia Eiver, where it was 

 very abundant. He noticed their arrival in very great numbers on the 17th of 

 April, and they continued in large flocks even while breeding. Their breeding- 

 places were on the banks of the river, the eggs were placed on the ground, 

 under small bushes without any nest, where numbers congregated together. 

 The eggs were two in number, and are described as of a yellowish-white color, 

 some inclining to a bluish-white with minute white dots at the larger end. 



These birds feed on the berries of the black-elder and the buds of the 

 balsam poplar. Wlien sitting on the trees, they huddle close together in the 

 manner of the Carolina Parrot, and many may be killed at a single discharge. 

 Their flesh is said to be tender, juicy, and fine eating. 



VOL. ni. 46 



