STOCK DOVE. 287 



exactly with our British examples ; Messrs. Dickson and 

 Ross, from whom they were received, remarking in their 

 notes of communication, published in the Society^ Proceed- 

 ings, that it is common in that locality. 



The beak is reddish orange ; the irides scarlet ; head, 

 neck, back, scapulars, and both sets of wing-coverts, bluish 

 grey ; primary quill-feathers lead grey, the external margin 

 lighter ; the secondaries pearl grey at the base of the outer 

 web, the ends lead grey ; the tertials bluish grey, the last 

 three with a single lead grey spot on the outer web, some- 

 times a similar spot on the wing-covert feather above ; but 

 these spots do not form a band in any position of the 

 wing ; rump and upper tail-coverts French-grey ; tail- 

 feathers twelve, the basal two-thirds bluish grey, then a 

 narrow band of lighter grey, the ends lead grey ; the basal 

 portion of the outer web of the outside tail-feather on each 

 side almost white ; chin bluish grey ; sides of the neck 

 glossy with green reflections ; breast purple red ; belly, 

 flanks, vent, under wing and under tail-coverts French- 

 grey ; legs and toes red ; claws brown. 



Whole length of a female thirteen inches. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the wing, eight inches and three- 

 eighths ; the first and fourth quill- feathers nearly equal 

 in length, and a little shorter than the second and third, 

 which are also nearly equal, and the longest in the wing. 



The male and female differ but little in plumage ; but 

 the male is the larger bird, and his colours are more 

 brilliant. 



Young birds before their first moult have no shining me- 

 tallic feathers in the neck, and they are also without any 

 spots on the last tertial feathers of the wing, or on the wing 

 covert above. 



