PIGEON. ]7 



A. — In the Museum of Mr. Bullock was a large Pigeon, seven- 

 teen inches long, in make like our Ring Species. Bill pale, head 

 and neck as far as the breast fine copper bronze, varying to yellow 

 and green ; beginning of the back deep chocolate purple ; wings and 

 tail ash-colour ; quills and tail with a gilded gloss; beneath from the 

 breast wholly white ; the quills reach to about the middle of the 

 tail ; legs pale ; claws black. 



This was said to have been shot within a few miles of London; in 

 appearance very like the Ring Species, but without any trace of the 

 white crescent on the neck. 



4.— SPOTTED RING PIGEON. 



Le Ramier Ramiron, Male, Lecaill. Afr. vi. p. 67. pi. 264. 



Columba arquatrix, Colombe Rameron, Tern. Pig.fol. pi. 5. Id. 8vo. i. p. 93. 



SIZE of the Ring Pigeon. Bill yellow; eyes pearl-colour, sur- 

 rounded with a naked orange skin; crown bluish grey, on a brown 

 ground ; breast and beneath vinaceous brown, marked with triangular 

 white spots ; wing coverts the same ; quills and tail dusky, the outer 

 margins pale grey ; legs yellow. The female smaller, less spotted, 

 and the colours in general more dull. 



Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope, very common in the Forests of 

 Hottniqua, generally in flocks, except in the breeding season. Makes 

 a nest, like the Ring Dove of Europe, and lays two white eggs, the 

 young hatched in fourteen days ; the young thought to be delicate 

 meat; only seen in the woods, except now and then in the plains 

 contiguous thereto. This bird, more often than any other, falls a 

 prey to the Noisy Falcon ; the latter lying in ambush, for the pur- 

 pose. The Pigeon has the habit of flying above the trees in circular, 

 or rather parabolic curves, and at the same time makes a singular 



VOL. VIII. D 



