( 479.) 
BAND-TAILED PIGEON. 
COLUMBA FASCIATA, Say. 
PLATE CCCLXVII. Mate anp Femate. 
In the course of Colonel Say’s expedition to the Rocky Mountains, 
a single specimen of this large and handsome Pigeon was procured. 
This individual was afterwards figured in the continuation of Wixson’s 
American Ornithology. Many specimens however have more recently 
been obtained by Dr TownsEnp, from whom I have procured three 
pairs of adult and some young birds. Comparing them with the fi- 
gure above alluded to, I should consider it as having been taken from 
a young male. In my plate are represented two adult birds, placed on 
the branch of a superb species of Dogwood, discovered by my learned 
friend, Tuomas Nurraut, Esq., when on his march toward the shores 
of the Pacific Ocean, and which I have graced with his name! The 
beautiful drawing of this branch was executed by Miss Martin, 
the amiable and accomplished sister of my friend Dr Bacuman. Seeds 
of this new species of Cornus were sent by me to Lord Ravensworty, 
and have germinated, so that this beautiful production of the rich val- 
ley of the Columbia River may now be seen in the vicinity of London, 
and in the grounds of the nobleman just mentioned, near Newcastle- 
upon-Tyne. Dr Townsrnp’s notice respecting the bird here spoken of 
is as follows :— 
“« The Band-tailed Pigeon is called by the Chinook Indians ‘ akoigh 
homin. It ranges from the eastern spurs of the Rocky Mountains 
across to the Columbia River, where itis abundant. It arrived in 1836 
in very great numbers, on the 17th of April, and continued in large 
flocks while breeding. Their breeding places are on the banks of the 
river. ‘he eggs are placed on the ground, under small bushes, with- 
out a nest, where numbers congregate together. The eggs are two, 
_ of a yellowish-white colour, inclining to bluish-white, with minute 
spots at the great end. These Pigeons feed upon the berries of the 
black elder and the buds of the balsam poplar. When sitting in the 
trees, they huddle very close together in the manner of the Carolina 
