THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 135 



range up the Pacific to Kamtchatka, and the 

 well-known Mollymawk, or Black-eyebrowed 

 Albatross {Diomedea melanophrys) has occurred 

 in England and elsewhere in the North Atlantic 

 region. It is about the size of the Great Black- 

 backed Gull, and very similar in colour, but with 

 a dark tail. The true Wandering Albatross 

 {Diomedea exidans) is white with black wings 

 and black freckling on the back. 



Pigeons {ColumhidcB). 



Diagnosis. — Land-birds^ with four well-developed toes 

 with no basal webs, and small heads, with bill soft 

 at the base. 



Size. — From that of a sparrow to that of a small hen 

 turkey (in the great Crowned Pigeons — Goura). 



Form. — Bill rather short, thinnest in the middle, soft 

 at the base, where the nostrils are pierced ; feet 

 with short shanks, usually with one row of broad 

 scales in front and quite bare behind, and four 

 toes, the hinder one well developed and the front 

 ones with no webs ; wings variable, short to long ; 

 tail well developed, usually of medium length ; 

 head small, neck rather long, body heavy. 



Plumage and Colouration. — Feathering dense, 

 smooth, powdery, and loosely attached ; coloura- 

 tion commonly drab or grey ; but green is often 

 found in fruit-eating forms, and metallic glosses 

 on portions are common. Some are very brilliant. 

 There is no seasonal change, and the sexes are 

 oftenest alike ; but the fledged young usually differ 

 to some extent, commonly by buff or cinnamon 

 edgings to the feathers. 



Young. — Very helpless, only clad in a very scanty 

 long, hairlike down, sometimes even naked. 



