BIRD NOTES AFIELD 



on sides of throat. Length about eighteen inches. General color rich 

 rusty brown mottled with dark brown; under parts white, barred with 

 brown and gray; tail reddish brown with a broad subterminal band of 

 dark brown and several narrow bars. Found only in the extreme 

 northern coast district of California. 



6. Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse ; Pediceceies phasianellus colum- 

 bianus (Ord.). 



Distinguished by its short tail with two elongated feathers; feet 

 feathered quite to the toes. Length about nineteen inches. General 

 colors finely mottled brownish, blackish and buff, whitish below, the 

 feathers brown edged. Found only in the extreme northeastern corner 

 of California, where it inhabits the ground. 



7. Sage-Grouse; Sage-Hen; Centrocercus urophasianus (Bonap.). 

 Largest of the grouse. Length over two feet. Distinguished by an 



irregular patch of black on the breast, the under parts being mostly 

 white. General color mottled black, white and brown. A series of long 

 stiff neck plumes are characteristic of this species. Found on the eastern 

 slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the sage-brush country. 



KEY TO PIGEON AND DOVE FAMILY 



A. Size, medium or large (12 to 16 inches). 



1 . Large white patch on wing. 



White-winged Dove 10 



2. No white patch on wing. 



a. Tail square with black band across its center. A con- 

 spicuous white line on back of neck. 



Band-tailed Pigeon 8 



b. Tail long and pointed, broadly edged with white. 



Mourning-Dove 9 



B. Size, very small (6 inches). 



Ground-Dove 11 



THE PIGEON AND DOVE FAMILY 



L^ng, pointed wings, small head and swift flight. Bill rather deli- 

 cate, with a soft swollen cushion at the base. Feet well developed. 

 Food consists largely of seeds. Out of some three hundred species of 

 this family in the world but two are widely distributed in California. 



8. Band-tailed Pigeon; Columha fasciata Say. 



Length, sixteen inches. Tail square, with a blackish subterminal 

 band (often inconspicuous). Head purple or wine red; black lustrous 

 bluish or greenish brown; lower parts purple, varying from pinkish to 



[1581 



