200 



COLUMBA GELASTIS. 



"In the next plumage the young birds have the 

 iris two colours, in a sharply-defined ring; the inner 

 part brown, and the outer yellowish. Beak bluish 

 grey; feet violet grey. In the old birds in summer 

 I have found the iris had its outer border in a 

 slender whitish ring, and the inner part red; beak 

 violet grey, especially towards the base; feet violet red." 

 Dr. Schrenck then discusses the opinions of other 

 writers upon the specific difference of this bird. 

 Temminck and Schlegel refer to the larger size of 

 Gelastis, and the former to the shorter tail and 

 longer wing. Middendorff also notices the larger size 

 of the body, while Pallas is of opinion that the same 

 difference as exists between the two in size, may 

 equally be observed between the Eussio-European and 

 the Dauritian examples of C. cenas and C. lima. 



The following is Dr. Schrenck's table of dimensions 

 of the Amur bird: — -Male. — Length of closed wings 

 seven inches three lines, tail five inches, beak seven 

 lines and a half, tarsi eleven lines and a half, middle 

 toe (without claw) one inch, claw of middle toe three 

 lines and a half. Female. — Length of closed wings 

 six inches eleven lines, tail four inches ten lines, beak 

 seven lines and a half, tarsi eleven lines and a half, 

 middle toe (without claw) one inch, claw of middle 

 toe three lines. Young. — Length of closed wings seven 

 inches, tail four inches eleven lines, tarsi one inch, 

 middle toe (without claw) one inch one line and a 

 half, claw of middle toe three lines and a half. 



On the whole, I think we may give C. gelastis to 

 Mr. Darwin as a transitional variety. I will not, 

 however, apologize for making a further extract from 

 Dr. Schrenck's interesting notice. 



Dr. Schrenck goes on to remark that the Turtle 



