WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON. 
469 
and tail above and beneath — in short, the whole bird, without 
any exception but the parts described, is of a uniform deep 
bluish slate, much lighter on the belly, more tinged with blue 
on the stout-shafted rump feathers, somewhat glossy, and ap- 
proaching to brownish black on the scapulars : the quills are 
more of a dusky black ; the wings are nearly eight inches long, 
reaching, when closed, to two-thirds of the tail ; the first pri- 
mary is somewhat shorter than the fourth, and the second and 
third are longest ; the third is curiously scalloped on the outer 
web, which is much narrowed for two inches from the tip ; all 
are finely edged with whitish ; the tail is five inches long, 
perfectly even, of twelve uniform broad feathers, with rounded 
tips ; the feet are carmine red, the nails dusky ; the tarsus 
measures less than an inch, being subequal to the lateral toes, 
and much shorter than the middle one. The female is per- 
fectly similar. It is one of this sex, shot in the beginning of 
March, that is represented in the plate, and is perhaps a young, 
or not a very old bird ; for it would seem, that as they advance 
in age, these pigeons become somewhat lighter coloured, the 
crown acquiring a much purer white. This, however, we only 
infer from authors, our plate and description being faithfully 
copied from nature. 
The young are distinguished by duller tints, and the crown 
is at first nearly uniform with the rest of their dark plumage : 
this part, after a time, changes to grey, then greyish white, 
and becomes whiter and whiter as the bird grows older. It is 
proper to remark, after what has been said under the article of 
the band-tailed pigeon, in vol. i., that the white colour extends 
equally over the whole crown, not more on one part than an- 
other ; thus never admitting of a restricted band or line, as in 
that much lighter coloured bird. 
Another species closely allied to, and perhaps identical with, 
our band-tailed pigeon, (though we have equally good reasons 
for believing it the Columha rujina of Temminck,) and of 
which we have not yet been able to procure specimens, is also 
