CAPE PIGEON. 



103 



La Tourtelette. Buff, Ois. 2. 554 — Buff. PL Enl. 140. male,— 

 Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afrique. 6. pi. 273. 2/4. — male and female. 

 pi, 275. young. 



Colombe Tourtelette. Temm, Pig. (8w.) p. 366. 



Cape Pigeon. Lath, Gen. Syn. 4. 666. 65. 



This is the smallest of the Pigeon Family, scarcely- 

 exceeding the size of the common Sparrow: its 

 total length is nine inches and a half, of which 

 the tail takes up five. The male has the forehead 

 and throat black ; on the latter the colour is pro- 

 duced down the fore-part of the neck to the 

 breast : the hind-head, the back of the neck, the 

 shoulders, the back, and the whole of the upper 

 coverts, the wings, and the tail, are of an earthy- 

 grey ; the greater wing-coverts have a violaceous 

 spot, with golden reflections ; the rump possesses 

 three narrow transverse black stripes : the quills 

 are reddish on their interior webs, and on the out- 

 side and towards the tip dusky : the tail-feathers 

 are of a grey-brown at their origin, the six middle 

 ones are tipped with black ; the lateral ones have 

 a black band towards their extremities, which are 

 of a grey-colour; the most exterior feather on 

 each side has its outer web white : the under part 

 of the tail is entirely black : the belly and the ab- 

 domen are of a pure white : the beak is yellow ; 

 and the legs are red. The female has the whole 

 of the head, the neck, the breast, the greater wing- 

 coverts, the back, and the base of the two middle 

 tail-feathers, of a grey-brown : the whole of the 

 lesser wing-coverts, and part of the middle ones, 



