292 COLUMBIDjE. 



or partially 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 conspi- 

 cuous 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. 



The whole length is 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, are not uncommon, and are 

 generally very handsome birds. 



