COLUMBID^ — THE PIGEONS. 



369 



purple. Tibiaj bluish-violet. Bill black. Feet lake-red. The female is smaller, much 

 duller in color, more olivaceous above ; beneath, pale ash instead of red, except a tinge 

 on the neck; the jugulum tinged with olive, the throat whitish. Length of male, 17.00; 

 wing, 8.50; tail, 8.40. 



Hab. North America to high Central Plains; West Humboldt Mountains, Nevada 

 (September; Ridgway). Cuba (Gundl. Rep. I, 1866, 302 ; Cab. J. IX, 112). 



The blue of the side of the head extends to the throat and chin, 

 upper part of the back and lesser 

 coverts are of a darker blue than 

 the head and rump. The inner 

 primaries are more broadly mar- 

 gined with light blue, which tapers 

 off to the end. The axillars and 

 under surface of the wing are light 

 blue. The longest scapulars have 

 the black on both webs. There is 

 no blue on the outer web of the 

 first tail-feather, which is white, 

 as is the inferior surface of the tail 

 generally. 



In some specimens the entire 

 head all round is blue. 



The immature male varies in 



The 



Ectopistes migratoria. 



having most of the feathers of the head and body margined with whitish. 



Habits. The common Passenger Pigeon of North America is found 

 throughout the continent in great abundance, from the Atlantic to the great 

 Central Plains, and from the Southern States, in whicli it only occasionally 

 occurs, to at least the 6 2d parallel of northern latitude, in the interior. 



Eichardson states that this Pigeon arrives in the fur countries in tlie lat- 

 ter part of May and leaves in October. On the coast of Hudson's Bay it 

 reaches no farther than the 58th parallel, and only in very fine summers, but 

 in the interior or in the warmer central districts it attains to the 62d degree. 

 Mr. Hutchins mentions, as a remarkable occurrence, that a flock of these 

 Pigeons visited York Factory and remained two days. 



It is not found on the Pacific coast. Dr. Suckley only met with a single 

 bird in immature plumage on a branch of Milk River, in Nebraska, about 

 one hundred and seventy-five miles east of the Piocky INIountains ; he thinks 

 the eastern base may be considered their western limit. Dr. Cooper has 

 seen it at Fort Laramie, but has never seen nor heard of it in Oregon, though 

 Townsend mentions it as found there. 



Dr. Woodhouse found these Pigeons common throughout the Indian Ter- 

 ritory in the spring and fall, during their migrations. 



Captain Blakiston noticed the first arrival of the Passenger Pigeons at 

 Fort Carlton, on the 23d of May. By the middle of June numerous flocks 



vou III. 47 



