RING DOVE. 253 



Madeira, and as far nortlnvard in summer as the southern 

 parts of Siberia and Russia. It is found also in summer 

 in Denmark and Sweden, but not in Norway or Lapland. 



The beak is reddish orange ; the soft parts about the 

 nostrils almost white ; irides straw yellow ; head and upper 

 part of the neck bluish grey ; the feathers on the sides of 

 the neck tipped with white, forming parts of four or five 

 oblique rings ; back, scapulars, both sets of Aving-coverts, 

 anil the tertials, a shade darker than the head ; the four or 

 five first feathers of both sets of wing-coverts white, or par- 

 tially white, which when the wing is closed produces only 

 a white line down the edge of the wing, but when they are 

 spread open these feathers then form a conspicuous white 

 patch, which is visible at a great distance ; the primary quill- 

 feathers are lead grey, with narrow white outer margins and 

 black shafts ; rump and upper tail-coverts bluish grey ; tail- 

 feathers twelve ; the pair in the centre of two colours, the 

 basal two- thirds bluish grey, the ends dark lead grey ; the 

 other ten feathers of three shades of grey, of which that in 

 the middle is the lightest in colour, and pearl grey ; the chin 

 bluish grey ; neck and breast vinous purple red ; belly, vent, 

 and under tail-coverts ash grey ; under surface of the tail- 

 feathers pearl grey in the middle, lead grey at both ends ; 

 legs and toes red ; claws brown. 



Whole length seventeen inches. From the carpal joint 

 to the end of the wing, ten inches : the first and second quill- 

 feathers very nearly equal in length, and the longest in the 

 wing, from which the others decrease gradually. 



The female does not differ much from the male, except 

 that she is a little smaller in size. 



Young birds of the year before their first moult have no 

 white on the sides of the neck, and the general colour of the 

 plumage is less pure and glossy. Varieties, spotted over the 

 body with white, arc not uncommon, and arc generally very 

 handsome birds. 



