The Passenger Pigeon 39 



and distributed among several noblemen, presenting 

 some at the same time to the Zoological Society. 



ADULT MALE 



Bill — straight, of ordinary length, rather slender, 

 broader than deep at the base, with a tumid, fleshy 

 covering above, compressed toward the end, rather 

 obtuse; upper mandible slightly declinate at the tip, 

 edges inflected. Head — small; neck, slender; body, 

 rather full. Legs — short and strong; tarsus, rather 

 rounded; anteriorly scutellate; toes, slightly webbed at 

 the base ; claws, short, depressed, obtuse. 



Plumage — ^blended on the neck and under parts, com- 

 pact on the back. Wings — long, the second quill long- 

 est. Tail — graduated, of twelve tapering feathers. 



Bill — black. Iris — bright red. Feet — carmine pur- 

 ple, claws blackish. Head — above and on the sides light 

 blue. Throat, fore-neck, breast, and sides — light 

 brownish-red, the rest of the under parts white. Lower 

 part of the neck behind, and along the sides, changing 

 to gold, emerald green, and rich crimson. The general 

 color of the upper parts is grayish-blue, some of the 

 wing-coverts marked with a black spot. Quills and 

 larger wing-coverts blackish, the primary quills bluish 

 in the outer web, the larger coverts whitish at the tip. 

 The two middle feathers of the tail black, the rest pale 

 blue at the base, becoming white toward the end. 



Length, i6j4 inches; extent of wings, 25 ; bill, along 



