364 ’ WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON. 
somewhat glossy, and approaching to brownish black on the 
scapulars : the quills are more of a dusky black; the wings 
are nearly eight inches long, reaching, when closed, to two- 
thirds of the tail; the first primary is somewhat shorter than 
the fourth, and the second and third are longest; the third is 
curiously scalloped on the outer web, which is much narrowed 
for two inches from the tip; all are finely edged with whitish; 
the tail is five inches long, perfectly even, of twelve uniform 
broad feathers, with rounded tips; the feet are carmine red, 
the nails dusky ; the tarsus measures less than an inch, being 
subequal to the lateral toes, and much shorter than the middle 
one. ‘The female is perfectly similar. It is one of this sex, 
shot in the beginning of March, that is represented in the 
plate, and is perhaps a young, or not a very old bird; for it 
would seem that as they advance in age these pigeons become 
somewhat lighter coloured, the crown acquiring a much purer 
white. This, however, we only infer from authors, our plate 
and description being faithfully copied from nature. 
The young are distinguished by duller tints, and the crown 
is at first nearly uniform with the rest of their dark plumage: 
this part, after a time, changes to grey, then greyish white, 
and becomes whiter and whiter as the bird grows older. It is 
proper to remark, after what has been said under the article 
of the band-tailed pigeon in vol. i., that the white colour 
extends equally over the whole crown, not more on one part 
than another; thus never admitting of a restricted band or 
line, as in that much lighter coloured bird. 
Another species closely allied to, and perhaps identical with, 
our band-tailed pigeon (though we have equally good reasons 
for believing it the Columba rufina of Temminck), and of 
which we have not yet been able to procure specimens, is also 
well known to breed on the Florida keys, whither probably 
almost all the West Indian species occasionally resort. 
