484 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



bare, feathers subsequently grow on these parts during moult to 

 first winter. 



First winter and summer. — Like adults. The juvenile plumage 

 is completely moulted April to Oct. depending on date of hatching, 

 moult commencing before juvenile wing-feathers are fully grown. 



Measurements and structure. — £ wing 215-230 mm., tail 100 

 (one 90)-112, tarsus 30-34, bill from feathers 18-21 (12 British 

 measured). $ wing 210-222. Primaries : 1st very small and 

 hidden, 3rd longest, 4th 2-6 mm. shorter, 2nd 5-12 shorter, 5th 

 16-25 shorter, 6th 33-40 shorter ; 3rd to 5th slightly emarginated 

 outer webs. Tail slightly rounded, 12 feathers, tips very slightly 

 rounded laterally. Rest of structure as Wood-Pigeon. 



Soft farts. — Bill lead-colour, basal part mealy-white ; legs 

 and feet dull red ; iris orange -red with yellow inner ring. 



Characters and allied forms. — C. I. canariensis (Canary Is.) 

 averages smaller and has slightly darker under -parts, back white 

 marked grey ; C. I. schimperi (Egypt, Nubia) is palest form, back 

 ash-grey as mantle ; C. I. gaddi (S.W. Persia) is not quite so pale 

 as C. I. schimperi but paler than C. I. livia, back grey as mantle but 

 sometimes white ; C. I. palestinm (Palestine, Mesopotamia, Arabia) 

 is doubtfully distinct from C. I. gaddi ; C. I. butleri (Red Sea Pro v.) 

 has been separated as smaller than C. I. palestince but on very 

 scanty material ; C. I. neglecta (Turkestan, Afghanistan, East 

 Persia, N.W. India) is much like C. I. livia, back grey to grey -white ; 

 C. I. intermedia (India) is darker than all above, back grey as 

 mantle. Typical Rock-Dove distinguished from Stock-Dove by 

 white or whitish rump and under -wing and black bars right across 

 wings. 



Eield-characters. — In British Isles restricted to rocky coasts. 

 So-called " Rock-Doves " of inland cliffs are either Stock-Doves 

 or feral dove-cot pigeons, and latter not infrequently consort 

 and breed with wild Rock-Doves on coast-cliffs. Approximates 

 in size to Stock-Dove, but is paler, has two distinct black 

 wing-bars (apparent only at close -quarters) whilst rump, axillaries 

 and under wing-coverts are white, not blue-grey. The love-call 

 " coo-roo, coo-oo-oo " is indistinguishable from that of domestic 

 pigeon. 



Breeding-habits. — Pure bred birds confined to wilder parts of 

 our coasts where rocks and caves supply nesting-sites. Nest. — 

 Merely a few bents, bits of heather, or even sea-weed arranged in 

 hole or ledge of cliff, often far inside a sea-cave and generally close 

 to sea. Eggs.- — 2 normally, white and somewhat glossy. Average 

 of 77 eggs, 39.3x29.2. Max. : 43x29.8 and 41.3x31.5. Min. : 

 35.4x27.4 and 39.5x26.5 mm. Breeding-season. — Probably ex- 

 tends from Feb. to Oct., though most eggs are laid from April 

 onward. Incubation. — By both sexes, but hen takes greater part. 

 Period 19 days (Bonhote). Evidently two or three broods reared 

 in one season. 



