THE PASSENGER PIGEON. 
33 
assured me that ever since they began breeding in his aviaries, they have 
laid only one egg. My noble friend has raised a great number of these 
birds, and has distributed them freely. It is not, therefore, very surprising 
that some which have escaped from confinement have been shot ; but that 
this species should naturally have a claim to be admitted into the British 
Fauna appears to me very doubtful. The eggs measure one inch five-eighths 
in length., one inch one-eighth and a half in breadth, and are nearly equally 
rounded at both ends. 
Columba migratoria, Linn. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 285. 
Passenger Pigeon, Columba migratoria , Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 102. 
Columba migratoria, Bonap. Syn., p. 120. 
Columba (Ectopistes) migratoria, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 363. 
Passenger Pigeon, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 629. 
Passenger Pigeon, Columba migratoria , Aud. Orn.Biog.,vol.i. p. 319 ; vol. v. p. 551. 
Male, 16i, 25. Female, 15, 23. 
Wanders continually in search of food throughout all parts of North 
America. Wonderfully abundant at times in particular districts. 
Adult Male. 
Bill straight, of ordinary length, rather slender, broader than deep at the 
base, with a tumid fleshy covering above, compressed towards the end, rather 
obtuse ; upper mandible slightly declinate at the tip ; edges inflected. Head 
small, neck slender, body rather full. Legs short and strong ; tarsus rather 
rounded, anteriorly scutellate ; toes slightly webbed at the base ; claws short, 
depressed, obtuse. 
Plumage blended on the neck and under parts, compact on the back. 
Wings long, the second quill longest. Tail graduated, of twelve tapering 
feathers. 
Bill black. Iris bright red. Feet carmine purple, claws blackish. Head 
above and on the sides light blue. Throat, fore-neck, breast, and sides, light 
brownish red, the rest of the under parts white. Lower part of the neck 
behind and along the sides, changing to gold, emerald-green, and rich 
crimson. The general colour of the upper parts is greyish-blue, some of the 
wing-coverts marked with a black spot. Quills and larger wing-coverts 
blackish, the primary quills bluish on the outer web, the larger coverts 
whitish at the tip. The two middle feathers of the tail black, the rest pale 
blue at the base, becoming white towards the end. 
Adult Female. 
The colours of the female are much duller than those of the male, although 
their distribution is the same. The breast is light greyish-brown, the upper 
