BAND-TAILED PIGEON. 
157 
purple at base ; the under part of the neck is pale 
vinaceous purplish, this colour becoming 1 paler as it 
approaches the vent, which, together with the inferior 
tail-coverts, is white. The anterior portion of the back, 
the wing-coverts, and scapulars, are brownish ash ; the 
primaries are dark brown, edged with whitish on the 
exterior webs ; the lower part of the back, the rump, 
tail-coverts, inferior wing-coverts, and sides, are bluish 
ash, brighter beneath the wings. The shafts of the 
body feathers and tail-coverts are remarkably robust, 
tapering rather suddenly near the tip. The tail, which 
consists of twelve feathers, is slightly rounded at tip, 
with a definite blackish band at two-thirds the length 
from the base, visible on both sides ; before this band 
the colour is bluish ash, and behind dirty grayish : the 
tail is much lighter on the inferior surface. 
This species is closely allied to Columba caribcea of 
Gmelin, with which Say stated its analogy, and also to 
Columba leucocephala of Linne. In fact, it possesses 
some characters in common with each of these species, 
such as the band on the tail of the former, and an 
indication of white on the head of the latter. This 
character may induce some naturalists to suppose it 
the young of the leucocephala ; but by a careful com- 
parison, all doubt will be removed, and it will be 
admitted to the rank of a distinct species. 
The caribcea may readily be distinguished from the 
present species, by its superior size, and by being 
destitute of the white band on the neck ; by having a 
reddish bill, tipped with yellow, and dark red feet. 
The leucocephala , in the adult state, has the whole 
head white above ; but as it is destitute of this dis- 
tinction when young, acquiring it gradually as it 
advances in age, other discriminating characters must 
be employed ; the tail is without a band, the bill is red 
with a white tip, and the feet are red. 
