ECTOPISTES MIGRATORIA. 
335 
GENUS II. ECTOPISTES. THE PIGEONS. 
Gen. Ch. Bill, rather lone/ and slender. Tail, very long and. pointed or graduated. Sternum, rather wide. Caeca, 
small. 
Members of this genus are quite large, not very dull in color, with conspicuous white markings on the long tail. There 
is but one species within our limits. 
ECTOPISTES MIGRATORIA. 
Wild Pigeon. 
Eclopistes migratoria Swain, Zool. Jour., Ill; 1827, 355. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, moderately long, thin, narrow at tip which ispointed. 
Coeca, very small. Tail, long and graduated. 
Color. Adult male. Head all around, neck, chin, back, upper wing coverts, upper tail coverts, under wing coverts, 
sides, and flanks, ashy-blue, lightest on the three latter named portions. Wings, including scapularies, brown, the latter 
spotted with large patches of black and the tips of secondaries and outer edges of primariesare nearly white. Tail, bluish- 
ash, becoming darker toward the tips of the middle feathers, and much lighter, gradually fading into white, on the tips and 
outer webs of the others. There is a spot of cinnamon near the ba«al portion of the inner webs of all the feathers except¬ 
ing central pair, which is followed, after a short interval, by an oblique band of black. Sides and back of neck, glossed 
with violet which has green and golden reflections. Beneath, purplish-red, darkest anteriorly and fading into white on 
the abdomen.' Under tail coverts, pure white. Tibia, purplish. 
Adult female. Quite similar to the male, but browner above, is less iridescent on the neck, and is pale ashy-yellow 
beneath. 
Young. Are not unlike the adult female, but are much browner above and are dark-brown on the neck below, while 
the feathers of these parts are edged with white. The chin is white, and the wing feathers are edged with rufous. Iris, 
red, bill, black, and feet, yellow, in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Occasionally the head is blue all around, but otherwise there is little variation in plumage. This species may be at 
once recognized Toy the pointed tail, cinnamon spots at its base, which are present in all stages, large size, and colors as de¬ 
scribed. Distributed, as a summer resident, throughout Middle and Northern North America, wintering in the section 
south of New England. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 16 - 62; stretch, 23'50; wing, 8'25; tail, 8'25; bill, 
•70; tarsus, I'05. Longest specimen, 17-25; greatest extent of wing, 24 - 00; longest wing; 8 - 50; tail, 8'50; bill, - 80; tarsus, 
110. Shortest specimen, 16'00; smallest extent of wing, 23'00; shortest wing, 8'00; tail, 8’00; bill, - 60; tarsus, l'OO. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed in trees. They are not very elabora te structures, being composed of twigs andsticks, without any lining 
whatever. 
Eggs, one or two in number, varying from elliptical to oval in form, pure white or creamy in color. Dimensions from 
l-OOxl-50 to l’12xL55. 
HABITS. 
The Wild Pigeons are now far from being common in Eastern Massachusetts and it 
has been many years since I have seen’a flock of any size here. Solitary individuals or 
small groups are to be found regularly in autumn and occasionally a pair will breed in the 
wilder sections, and Mr. W. W. Eager found a nest a year or two since in Weston. My 
friend, Mr August Koch, of Williamsport, of whom I have spoken before as an enthusi¬ 
astic sportsman and ornithologist, kindly sends me the following notes on this species. 
“Should severe weather or late snow-storms come on in March, after the Wild Pig- 
