A COOING PAIR 



345 



much alike, and if you should see them on the wing 

 you would surely be confused. 



" Rap, you may describe the Passenger Pigeon, and 

 Nat shall take the Dove ; let me see if you can do it 

 clearly enough for your written tables." 



Rap looked at the Pigeon for some time. 

 " It isn't an easy bird to describe — all 

 the colors run together so. It has bluish- 

 gray upper parts, and under: 

 is a sort of pinky brown 

 white under the tail. The sid 

 of the neck are shiny with 

 soap-bubble colors. Tlie out- 

 side tail-feathers are 

 bluish and fade off 

 wdiite at the tips, but 

 the middle ones are all 

 dark ; the beak is black, 

 and the feet are red. 

 But see here," he added, 

 as he looked sharpl}^ at 

 the bird's tail again, 

 "there are some chest- 

 nut and black spots at 

 the roots of the side 

 feathers." 



" Very good, my boy. How long do you think it is ? " 



Rap measured with his finger and said he thought 

 about fourteen inches. 



" You are almost right, though these Pigeons vary 

 in length, because some have longer tails than others. 

 I think this one measured about sixteen inches when it 



Pigeon. 



