COLUMBIDAI—DOVES. 215 
Order COLUMB. 
Family COLUMBID. 
Genus COLUMBA. 
WOOD.-PIGEON OR RING-DOVE. “ 
Columba palumbus Zznz. 
Adult : Above brownish-grey, shading into pale slate-grey 
on lower back and rump ; sides of neck and nape glossed with 
green or purple (according to the light), having also below a 
large white patch on either side of the neck ; wings dark brown, 
the feathers narrowly bordered on outer webs with white ; owt- 
ermost wing-coverts white on outer webs ,; tail blackish-brown 
with a broad subterminal band of lavender-grey ; beneath vina- 
ceous-grey, shading into pale grey on centre of abdomen ; bill 
scarlet at base, yellowish towards the tip; legs and feet coral- 
red ; irides pale yellow. Length 16 to 17 inches ; culmen 0’9 ; 
Wine OS 10 JO; tail G's; tarsus 1°2. 
Adult Female: Closely resembles the male, but has 
smaller white patches on the neck, and the metallic colours less 
brilliant. 
Young: Differ from adults in having no white on the neck. 
Distribution: Inhabits the Western Palearctic region 
except in the extreme north, ranging through Western Asia also. 
Habitat: Open cultivated country and woods (both ever- 
green and deciduous). 
Columba livia Aonnat. 
ROCK-DOVE. 
Adult Male: Prevailing colour bluish-grey, shading into 
paler grey on upper back ; lower part of back and rump white ; 
