84 NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAB XXIII. 1916. 



II. ON COLUMBA LIVIA AND ITS FOKMS 



While there has been much divergency of opinions about the ancestors of the 

 tame Ring-Dove, there has been none about that of our domestic Pigeon, since the 

 Rock-Pigeon (Rock-Dove) has become known. It is true that Linne considered 

 the Domestic Pigeon to be a domesticated race of the Stock-Dove, but this error 

 did not long prevail. No doubt the wild Rock-Pigeon ( Columba livia livia) is the 

 ancestor of the European House-Pigeons, while C. I. schimperi and intermedia are 

 those of the Egyptian and Indian domesticated birds. 



The wild races of C. livia are not so easily disposed of, but my investigations 

 have convinced me that neither in East Siberia, China and Japan, nor in Porto 

 Santo, Madeira, and the Azores, are wild forms indigenous, and that all birds 

 recorded from these countries are feral ; this is, in my opinion, evident from the 

 colour-varieties which they represent ; where they vary enormously, and where a 

 uniform type is very rare, or where spotted and rufous-barred birds are the rule, we 

 can only have to do with feral birds. 



Bannerman's canariensis is quite recognisable if a series is compared, though 

 I cannot see that it is darker than C. I. livia on the upperside, and my wing- 

 measurements range up to 227 mm. 



C. I. schimperi differs by its very light mantle and small size, while the rump 

 is not white, but whitish grey or greyish white. This form is the most distinct 

 of all, but often interbreeds with feral Domestic Pigeons, probably descendants of 

 the same race. 



C. I. palaestinae is darker ; but not only the birds from Palestine, but also 

 those from Arabia belong to it. More information will be found in my book on 

 the palaearctic birds. 



C. I. gaddi Sarndny is like palaestinae, but larger. I have only compared one 

 specimen shot in S.W. Persia by Mr. Witherby, of which I think that it must 

 belong to this form. It is said to inhabit the provinces of Luristan and Arabistan, 

 west of the mountains. 



C. I. neglecta is certainly paler than the very dark typical intermedia from 

 India, but in the Himalayas, near Kashgar, etc., the two forms seem to mix and 

 to intergrade. Columba livia korejewi Sarndny and London (Om. Monatsber. 

 1906, p. 134) from the Semiretchie province in Turkestan is said to be larger, but I 

 do not think that this is constant, and that the authors can have measured many 

 typical neglecta. 



C. I. intermedia is the dark, dark-rumped Indian subspecies. 



The very rare Columba livia gymnocyclus (not gymnocycla !), only known from 

 Senegambia and the rocks near Gambaga, and apparently from the Los Islands, 

 north of Freetown, is insufficiently known, and the possibility of its being feral 

 requires consideration. Cf. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxi. p. 257 ; Hartert, Nov. Zool. 

 1899, p. 406 ; Reichenow, Vög. A fr. i. p. 400 ; Alexander, Ibis 1902, p. 368. 



III. ON COLUMBA NIGRICANS 



Columba nigricans has been described by Buturlin {Annuaire Mus. Zool. 

 St. Pctersbourg xiii. p. 324, 1908) from one single specimen shot from an 

 apparently wild flock at " Tunzay-inzsa in the Sologow valley in Vei-chan, north 

 of Cheng-te and east of Dolon-nor, near the head springs of Shara-muren and 

 Liao-khe." The author describes the bird as follows : 



