408 RASORES. COLUMBA. Ring-Dove. 



PiATE 56. Fig. 1. Natural size. 



Bill orange ; the basal or soft part covered with a white 

 mealy substance. Head, cheeks, neck, and lower parts 

 of the back bluish-grey. Upper part of the back and 

 wing-coverts deep bluish-grey. Quills blackish-grey, 

 margined with white. On the side of the neck is a 

 patch of white. Breast and belly brownish-purple-red, 

 with glossy green reflections. Thighs and under tail- 

 coverts bluish-grey. Legs and toes pale purplish-red. 

 Irides yellowish- white. 



STOCK-DOVE. 



COLUMSA J^NAS, Limi. 

 PLATE LVI.« Fig. 1. 



Columba ^nas, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 279. 1. B — Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 769. sp. 1 — 



Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 2. p. 589. sp. 1. — Bfiss. Orn. v. 1. sp. 6 — Raii Syn. 



p. 62. A. 10.— Will. p. 136. t. 35. 

 Colombe colombin, Temm. Pig. et Gall. v. 1. p. 118 — Id. edit. fol. pi. 11. 



—Id. INIan. d'Ornith. v. 2. p. 445. 

 Iloltz Taube, Beclisl. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 957 — Meyer, Tasschenb. 



Dent. V. 1. p. 28T.—Fri.sch, Vog. t. 139. 

 Derbosh Duif, Sepp. Vog. v. 5. t. p. 407- 

 Stock- Pigeon, Br. Zool. 2. App.— Arct. Zool. 2. p. 329. A — Will. (AngL) 



p. 185 Lath. Syn. 4. p. 604. 1 — Id. Supp. p. 197- 



Few of our writers, when describing the Columba JEnas, 

 seem to have been aware of the specific distinction that exists 

 between it and the Columba livia of Brisson (Rock-Dove), 

 but have mixed up the history and individuality of both, 

 considering them either as the same bird, or, perhaps, as 

 mere varieties of the same species. Montagu's description, 

 in the Ornithological Dictionary (under the article ' Rock- 

 Dove'), refers only to the Columbia livia, although the Latin 

 synonyms of the other species are attached to it ; and it does 

 not appear that the true Columba ^nas ever came under his 

 observation. 



The present species is indigenous to this country, but 



