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COLUMBA BOLLIL 



(BOLLE'S PIGEON.) 



Wolumba bouvrgi, Bolle, J. fur Orn. 1857, p. 329, nee Bp. 

 Columba bollii, Godman, Ibis, 1872, p. 217. 



Figura nulla. 



<J ad. capite, nucha, et dorso centraliter caerulescenti-schistaceis, colli lateribus et collo postico cum dorso 

 superiore viridescente et purpurascente iridescentibus : colli lateribus ex parte seneo notatis : corpore 

 supra cum scapularibus et tectricibus alarum saturate schistaceo-plumbeis : uropygio cserulescenti 

 lavato : remigibus nigricantibus : Cauda, nigricante, fascia lata subapicali cserulescenti-plumbea, trans- 

 vittata : pectore et abdomine superiore rufescenti-vinaceis : gutture, abdomine imo et subcaudalibus 

 sehistaceis, illo vix viridescenti nitente : rostro, pedibus et regione oculari corallinis : iride straminea : 

 unguibus nigricantibus. 



Adult Male (Teneriffe) . Head, neck, and centre of the back dark dove-blue with a slaty tinge ; sides of 

 the neck and hind neck glossed with green, a small portion of the feathers on the sides of the neck 

 tipped with coppery red, fore part of the back extending to the sides of the back richly glossed with 

 reddish purple, the hind crown being also slightly glossed with this colour ; upper parts dark plumbeous- 

 slate, bluer on the rump ; quills blackish ; tail blackish, broadly subterminated with dark dove-blue, 

 and finally tipped with dusky slate ; throat down to the breast slaty blue, slightly glossed with green ; 

 breast and abdomen deep vinous-, almost coppery red ; flanks and lower abdomen with the under tail- 

 coverts deep bluish slate ; bill red, darker at the tip ; legs coral-red ; iris straw-colour ; edge round the 

 eye coral-red. Total length about 14 - 5 inches, culmen TO, gape 1 - 1, wing 8"2, tail 6 - 2, tarsus l - 2, 

 middle toe with claw l - 5. 



Adult Female (Orotava). Does not differ from the male, except that it is perhaps a trifle less brightly 

 coloured. 



Young (Taganana). Is much duller in general tinge of colour than the old bird, and the coppery red on the 

 sides of the neck is merely indicated, the rich green gloss being also nearly absent. 



This Pigeon, which had hitherto been considered identical with Columba laurivora, has only 

 lately been shown by Mr. Godman to be distinct. This gentleman only met with it in the 

 island of Teneriffe; but it would appear from what Dr. Carl Bolle writes that it may very 

 possibly occur elsewhere in the Canaries. This gentleman writes (I. c.) as follows : — " There is 

 no doubt that there is on the island of Gomera a second species of Pigeon which is by no means 

 rare, and inhabits the Monte hueco. I have not seen it myself; but the natives speak positively 

 respecting its occurrence. It is said to be somewhat less than Columba laurivora, bluish ash- 

 grey, with a good deal of white on the tail, and is therefore called Babiblanco (white-tail). It 

 is said to inhabit the forests at a greater altitude than the true Trocaz Pigeon, and to keep apart 

 from that bird." Whether the species referred to by Dr. Bolle is the present species or true 



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