212 BIEDS OF EGYPT. 



proportion of the Egyptian Pigeons have a grey rump ; and 

 such birds I refer to the next species, C. ScJiimperi, although 

 I consider the colour of the rump to be a rather doubtful 

 mark of specific distinction, as one cannot feel sure of the 

 purity of the breed of even the apparently wild race. How- 

 ever, there are other distinctive marks, which, though less 

 apparent, are more to be relied upon for the recognition of 

 C. Schimperi from the present species. 



General plumage slate-colour ; rump white ; lower part of 

 the neck and upper part of the breast Vidth a metallic green 

 and purple lustre ; the slate-colom* is darkest on the head, 

 neck, breast, and upper tail-coverts, and lightest on the 

 wings ; primaries dusky ; basal portion of the secondaries 

 and greater wing-coverts black, forming two bars on the 

 wing; tail broadly banded across the tip with dusky, and 

 the basal half of the outer tail-feathers white ; beak dusky, 

 with a fleshy substance at the base of the upper mandible ; 

 legs blood-red ; irides brownish red. 



Entire length 14 inches; culmen 0"8 ; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 8'6 ; tarsus 1"1. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 245. 



206. CoLUMBA ScHiMPERi, Bp. ScMmpers Pigeon. 



I unfortunately paid but little attention to the Pigeons 

 during my travels in Egypt, yet I think there can be no 

 doubt that there are two races mixed in the vast semi- 

 domesticated flocks, and living more or less in a pm-e wild 

 state in the cliffs which in some places border the river. 

 The one race has a white rump, and is C. livia ; the other. 



