Birds of Oregon and Washington 157 



eral times each day, the usefulness of this bird 



may be imagined. 



The Mourning Dove is beautiful withal, and 



too innocent and gentle in habit to make the 



killing of it, for food, a sport. 



Particular Description. — Forehead, reddish-buff; 

 head, greenish-blue ; rest of upper parts, as in general 

 description, except sides of neck, iridescent, with black 

 spot underneath each ear ; breast, vinaceous ; abdomen, 

 buff ; long pointed tail, outer feathers, white. 



Summer resident. 



THE BAND-TAILED PIGEON. 



General Description : 



Male : Upper parts : lead-color, with purplish 



tints on head and neck ; bluish on rump. 

 Under parts : purplish, varying from greenish- 

 blue to bluish-green. 

 • Length, 16 inches. 

 Found in the oaks, where it feeds on acorns, and 

 sometimes about farm fields. 



The Band-tailed Pigeon corresponds to the 

 Wild Pigeon of the East, so famous for numbers 

 before ruthless man nearly destroyed it, as he 

 has entirely destroyed the buffalo. 



Audubon and others report that the Wild 



