ROCK-DOVE. 



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with the Stock-Dove in having no white patches on the sides of the neck, 

 and scarcely differs from it in the colour of the tail. There is very little 

 difference in the colour of the underparts of the Rock-Dove and the Stock- 

 Dove, except that the latter has slightly less pink on the breast. The 

 chief specific characters between the two birds are the white lower back 

 and upper rump of the Rock-Dove, and the two conspicuous black bands 

 across its wing-coverts and innermost secondaries, which are only rudi- 

 mentary in the Stock-Dove. Bill brownish black ; legs, feet, and claws 

 as in the other species ; irides orange-red. The female chiefly differs from 

 the male in having less metallic lustre on the neck, less pink on the breast, 

 and the plumage generally duller in colour. Males of the year scarcely 

 differ from adult females, but have the black wing-bars less clearly defined. 

 Young in first plumage are suffused with brown above and below, except 

 the primaries, the rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail, which are the same 

 as in the adult. 



