32 The Naturalist in Siluria. 



black. Again, he speaks of certain spots on the wing 

 coverts, and others on the tertiaries, as of this same 

 leaden grey. These spots are so near to being black 

 that no one not colour-blind would think them otherwise, 

 while those of them described as on the tertiaries are in 

 reality on the secondaries. As these markings have a 

 peculiar significance, I will be minute in my account of 

 them, transcribing from the bird before me that shot in 

 the bean-field. There are seven of the secondary coverts 

 so distinguished; the spots being nearly perfect circles, 

 and confined to the outer web of the feathers, their edges 

 quite clear of the shaft. They are of different, indeed 

 graduated, sizes, and at unequal distances from the tips 

 of the feathers; else with the wing closed they would 

 form a " bar," since then only the outer webs are visible. 

 The other dark markings on the secondaries themselves 

 the three inner ones are rather " blabs " than rounded 

 spots of indefinite outline are less conspicuous than 

 those on the coverts. But between the two sets there is 

 an evident tendency towards that double oblique bar on 

 the wings, which makes the Eock-dove so easily identi- 

 fiable. This is why I speak of these markings as having 

 a peculiar significance, and in their application to all the 

 three species of our wild pigeons. It is the more strange, 

 taking into account their other points of distinction; 

 their respective sizes, almost in regular gradation from 

 the great Ring to the little Eock the Eing without sign 

 of black mark on the wings, the Stock having them 

 spotted, almost barred, the Eock with the bars complete! 

 Besides, the upper tail coverts of the Eing are lead 

 colour, those of the Stock also, but of a lighter shade, 

 showing an approach to the white rump so characteristic 

 of the Eock. 



