COLUMBA.] AVES RASORES. 161 



ORDER III. RASORES. 



GEN. 52. COLUMBA, Linn. 



(1. COLUMBA, Swains.) 



137. C. Palumbus, Linn. (Ring-Dove.) -Bluish ash ; 

 a white space on the sides of the neck, and on the edge 

 of the wing; extremity of the tail black. 



C. Palumbus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 444. Id. Pig. et Gall. 

 torn. i. p. 78. Ring-Dove, Mont. Orn. Diet. Selb. Illust. vol. i. 

 p. 406. pi. 56. f. 1. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 307. 



DIMENS. Entire length sixteen inches six lines : length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) nine lines and a half, (from the gape) one inch two 

 lines ; of the tarsus one inch four lines ; of the tail six inches six lines ; 

 from the carpus to the end of the wing ten inches : breadth, wings 

 extended, twenty-nine inches four lines. 



DESCRIPT. Head, cheeks, throat, rump, and basal portion of the tail, 

 bluish ash ; on each side of the neck a patch of white ; a narrow line of 

 the same colour running longitudinally down the wing near the edge ; 

 breast and upper part of the belly vinaceous red, with glossy green reflec- 

 tions ; back and wing-coverts deep bluish gray ; quills dusky, edged with 

 white ; a broad black bar at the extremity of the tail ; vent, thighs, and 

 under tail-coverts, grayish white : bill orange; the soft portion at the base 

 covered with a white mealy substance : irides light yellow : feet red. 

 (Egg.) White: long. diam. one inch eight lines; trans, diam. one inch 

 two lines. 



Common in wooded districts throughout the country, remaining the 

 whole year. Utters a cooing note, heard from February to the beginning 

 of October. Builds in April : nest placed in trees, formed of twigs loosely 

 put together, and very shallow. Eggs always two in number. Frequently 

 a second, or even a third brood. Food, grain and seeds of various kinds ; 

 during severe weather, the leaves of turnips, and other vegetables. Col- 

 lects in large flocks at the approach of Winter. 



138. C. (Enas, Linn. (Stock-Dove.) Bluish ash; 

 sides of the neck with green and purple reflections ; some 

 of the wing-coverts spotted with black, forming an irre- 

 gular transverse bar ; rump bluish gray ; tip of the tail 

 black. 



C. (Enas, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 445. Id. Pig. et Gall. 

 torn. i. p. 118. Stock-Dove, Selb. Illust. vol. i. p. 408. pi. 56*. 

 f. 1. 



DIMENS. Entire length twelve inches six lines : length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) eight lines and a half, (from the gape) eleven lines 



L 



