— 78 — 



Length about 17 inches. The adult male has the forehead, 

 crown, and an elongated crest pure white, a black patch round 

 the eye, and a black streak on the nape. Throat, neck, and 

 under parts white ; back black ; shoulders white with a mottled 

 crescentic band of black on the shoulders and another in front of 

 each wing ; flanks vermiculated with grey. 



The female is smaller and browner, and the young bird is 

 mottled with grey on the back. 



COLUMB/E. 



323. Stock Dove. Colimiha cenas Linnaeus. 



Columha cenas. Shelley, p. 213. 



A common visitor during the winter and frequently to be 

 seen in large, sometimes vast, flocks. 



Length about 14 inches. General colour slate grey, paler 

 on the breast aiid belly ; a metallic green patch on the sides of 

 the neck ; an imperfect black bar across the wing, and a broad 

 black bar on the tail. 



324. Rock Dove. Columha livia Gmelin. 



Columha livia. Shelley, p. 211. 



I consider it extremely doubtful whether the pure bred 

 rock pigeon is to be found in Egypt at the present day. Inter- 

 breeding with domestic pigeons has been carried on for so long 

 that, although it is possible to obtain apparentli/ pure examples, 

 they occur in flocks with birds of undoubtedly mixed ancestry. 

 The same applies to the so-called C. sclmnferi, which has a 

 grey band on the rumj) in place of a white one. 



Length about 14 inches. Upper parts light grey, wings 

 crossed with two black bands. The metallic neck patches are 

 larger than in the stock dove, and the under parts are paler. 

 A white band across the rump and the under side of the wing is 

 white, not slaty as in the stock dove. 



325. Turtle Dove. Turtur turtur tiirtur (Linnaeus). 



Turtur auritus. Shelley, p. 214. 



Common during both migrations. 



Length about 11 inches. Head, nape, flanks and outer 

 wing coverts bluish grey, a patch of white-tipped black feathers 

 on the sides of the neck. Feathers of the mantle pale reddish 



