262 COLUMBIDE. 



a conspicuous black band, extending outwards and forwards 

 to the edge of the wing ; primary and secondary quill-feathers 

 bluish-grey ; the tertials french-grey, tipped with black, and 

 Avith a conspicuous band of black below the black band on 

 the coverts, the light-coloured band of the great wing-coverts 

 intervening between the two dark bands ; lower part of the 

 back pure white ; rump and upper tail-coverts pearl-grey ; 

 tail-feathers twelve, of two colours, the basal two-thirds pearl- 

 grey with dark shafts, the ends lead grey ; the chin bluish 

 grey ; the throat purple and green ; breast, and all the under 

 surface of the body pearl grey ; under wing-coverts and axil- 

 lary plume white ; legs and toes reddish orange ; the claws 

 brown. 



The whole length of the bird eleven inches and a half. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing eight inches : 

 the first quill-feather considerably longer than the fourth, but 

 a little shorter than the second and third, Avhich are nearly 

 equal in length, and the longest in the wing. 



The females are not quite so large as males, and their 

 colours generally less brilliant. Young birds in their first or 

 nestling plumage, before their autumnal moult, may always 

 be distinguished from the young of the Stock Dove by the 

 broad patch of pure white on the lower part of the back. 



Of the Rock Dove, and its descendants, among our Dove 

 house-pigeons, it is remarked, that they very seldom or ever 

 roost on trees, or even settle in them, unless wounded by 

 shot, or under peculiar circumstances, such as mentioned by 

 Mr. Eyton in the account of the Stock Dove in his work on 

 the Rarer British Birds. The Stock Dove, on the contrary, 

 roosts and lives almost exclusively in the woods, and the 

 other distinctions of voice and plumage have been already 

 pointed out. Our Dove house-pigeons possess great power 

 of vision, as well as speed and duration of flight. Dr. Jenner 

 says, " my ingenious friend and neighbour, the late Rev. 



