Columbidse of the Ethiopian Region. 325 



white towards the chin and centre of the upper throat ; the 

 cheeks often shaded with grey ; the vinons breast fades into 

 white near the vent and a few of the first under tail-coverts 

 are white^, usually washed more or less with grey or brown ; 

 remainder of the under tail-coverts and the under surface of 

 the tail black, with pale ends to a few of the outer tail- 

 feathers, and often with brownish ends to some of the greater 

 coverts; axillaries and under surface of the wings rufous, 

 with the ends and partial outer margins to the quills dark 

 brown; iris brown; bill dusky red with the end yellow; legs 

 brownish red. Total length 8*5 inches, culmen 0*6, wing 4"3, 

 tail 3*5, tarsus 0"7. 



The preceding description is taken from a specimen collected 

 by myself on the Gold Coast in March, and the following 

 from a female also collected by myself in March at Pinetown. 

 Var. Columba chalcospilos, Wagl., difiers from the typical 

 form as follows : — metallic spots on the wing golden green, 

 with scarcely any trace of blue ; the black on the primary- 

 coverts and ]>i'imaries is rather more extended; the secondaries 

 are rather darker, their central portions inclining to black 

 and considerably less washed with rufous ; the colouring of 

 the upper parts generally is of a slightly more ashy shade ; 

 bill uniform dark brown. Total length in the flesh 7'9 inches, 

 culmen 0'55, wing 4'3, tail 3*5, tarsus 0"7. 



Hab. The whole of Africa south of about 17° N. lat. 

 This Dove is not known to mc from any of the islands 

 with the exception of the small Ilha das Rolhas in the Gulf of 

 Guinea. As to its occurrence on TenerifFe as a regular 

 migrant I think it impossible ; certainly it has never been pro- 

 cured there ; and although very different in appearance, I have 

 little doubt that Turtur senegalensis or T. turtur were the 

 species confounded with it at Tenerifte. 



Although it is difficult positively to prove, I have no doubt 

 in my own mind that the forms above described, those with 

 the blue and those with the green spots on the wings, are 

 only varieties of one species. They have exactly the same 

 range and have both been invariably collected in the same 

 localities, and they are neither sexual nor seasonal dift'erences, 



