478 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



white line down wing, rest of wing-coverts as mantle. This plumage 

 is acquired by complete moult May to Oct. N.B. — A number of 

 primaries are sometimes moulted almost simultaneously, but this 

 " rapid " moult though fairly frequent is not normal. 



Nestling (Plate 7). — Covered with tufts of coarse hair -like 

 down of a pale straw-colour, down is sparse and skin of lead-blue 

 with tinge of flesh-colour shows through ; lores, round eyes, whole 

 of chin and narrow space down centre of belly bare of down. Nest- 

 ling down is replaced by juvenile feathers to tips of which it 

 adheres. Inside mouth pink, flanges pale flesh. 



Juvenile. — Head and throat duller grey than adult and feathers 

 of crown tipped rusty-brown ; neck uniform brownish-grey with 

 no metallic colours nor white patches ; mantle grey-brown ; 

 scapulars same narrowly tipped rufous -brown ; back and rump 

 dull grey ; upper tail-coverts grey-blue, narrowly tipped rufous- 

 brown ; breast vinous-rusty ; belly ash-grey, feathers tipped 

 rufous ; under tail-coverts grey-white, feathers tipped yellowish- 

 brown ; axillaries and under wing-coverts grey-blue, feathers along 

 edge of wing tipped rufous ; tail as adult ; wing as adult but 

 primaries, innermost secondaries, primary-coverts and all wing- 

 coverts narrowly tipped rufous-brown. Chin and gape bare, 

 feathers subsequently grow on these parts at commencement of 

 moult to first winter. 



First winter and summer. — Like adult but sometimes juvenile 

 outer primary and one or two brown-tipped outer primary- coverts 

 and coverts along edge of wing are retained. The juvenile plumage 

 is completely moulted usually July-Oct., but owing to irregular 

 breeding period moulting juveniles are found in all months. First 

 winter body-plumage (especially back and rump) begins to grow 

 before juvenile outer primaries are complete. 



Measurements and structure. — $ wing 235-255 mm., tail 140- 

 156, tarsus 30-37, bill from feathers 21-24 (12 British measured). 



? wing 235-255. Pri- 

 maries : 1st very small 

 and hidden by primary- 

 coverts, 3rd and 4th 

 longest but occasionally 

 one 2 mm. shorter, 2nd 

 and 5th 9-20 shorter, 

 6th 28-40 shorter ; 3rd 

 ^ to 5th slightly emar- 



ginated on outer webs. 

 rru w i t>- \n 7 t. 7 i. x Tail square, 12 feathers, 



The Wood-Pigeon (Columba p. palvmbus). ,. \. . ' , ,' 



tips slightly rounded. 

 Bill rather slender at tip, upper mandible slightly decurved 

 and projecting, base rather flat and broad, with soft fleshy 

 membranes, irregularly granulated, over nostrils which have slit- 

 like openings in fore and lower part of membranes. Tarsi very 

 short, feathered in front nearly half-way down. Toes fairly long, 



