^^^-"i^ ^ 



THE WOOD PIGEON OR EING DOVE. 



COLUMBA PALUMBUS. 



Head, cheeks, neck, and upper part of the tail, bluish grey ; back and wing- 

 coverts darker ; a white crescent-shaped spot on each side of the neck sur- 

 rounded by scale-like feathers with green and purple reflections; primaries 

 grey towards the base, white in the middle, and dusky towards the extremity, 

 with the outer web white ; tail barred with black at the end ; abdomen 

 whitish ; bill orange, powdered with white at the base ; iris light yellow ; 

 feet blood-red; claws brown. Length sixteen and a half inches. Eggs 

 pure white. 



Among the Israelites Pigeons and Turtle Doves were the 

 only birds that could be offered in sacrifice; and even 

 prior to the Mosaic dispensation they were selected by God, 

 along with sheep and oxen, as fit to constitute a burnt 

 offering.* Being thus classed with tame animals, it is 

 probable that they were domesticated at a very early 

 period. Hence Ave need not be surprised that naturalists 

 are undecided as to the species from which the numerous 



* Genesis xv. 9. 



