General 
descrip- 
tion. 
290 COLUMBA. COLUMBA. Stock Dove. 
very tame when in confinement, they will not breed either by 
themselves, or with the common pigeon; and, upon being 
set at liberty, immediately betake themselves to their natural 
haunts, and return no more. 
The species is found throughout the greatest portion of 
Europe, but more abundantly in the southern parts, where it 
is sedentary. In the northern regions they are commonly 
migratory birds. 
Pirate 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-—Columba Atnas, Linn. 
PLATE 56*. 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.—Briss. Orn. v. 1. sp. 5.—Raii, Syn. 
p- 62. A. 10.—Wiill. p. 136. t. 35. 
Colombe colombin, Temm. Pig. et Gall. v. 1. p. 118.—Zd. edit. fol. pl. 11.— 
Id. Man. d’Ornith. v. 2. p. 445. 
Holtz Taube, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 3. p. 957.—Meyer, 'Tasschenb. 
Deut. v. 1. p. 287.—Frisch, Vog. t. 139. 
Derbosh Duif, Sepp. Vog. v. 5. te p- 407. 
Stock Pigeon, Br. Zool. 2. App.—Arct. Zool. 2. p. 329. A.— Will. (Ang.) 
p- 185.—Lath. Syn. 4. p. 604. 1.—Zd. Supp. p. 197. 
Few of our writers, when describing the Columba 4Enas, 
seem to have been aware of the specific distinction that ex- 
ists 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, 
