The Band-tailed Pigeon 
ence. Prof. F. FI. King found upon examination, that one had eaten 
nine larvae of a species that destroys the foliage of black walnut trees. 
They also eat many canker worms. While they occasion¬ 
ally eat some of the smaller fruit, their work all summer long is to protect 
the fruit tree from its enemies. Although it has been accused of robbing 
the nests of other birds and eating their eggs, I do not believe the charge 
has been sustained.” 
In July, 1916, we found the snowbrush (Ceanothus cordulatus) at 
Sisson so infested with caterpillars that the entire chaparral cover was 
being ruined. Taken together there were literally bushels of the creatures. 
The solitary Cuckoo we encountered was having the time of his young 
life; but what was he .among so many! 
No. 225 
Band-tailed Pigeon 
A. O. U. No. 312. Chloroenas fasciata fasciata (Say). 
Synonyms.— Wild Pigeon. “Passenger Pigeon” (as frequently misidenti- 
fied). White-collared Pigeon. 
Description.— Adult male: Head and neck all around and underparts, changing 
on abdomen, dull wine-purplish, darkest on crown and chest, lightening, more bluish, 
on chin and upper throat; a sharp, narrow cervical collar of white; behind this a cres¬ 
centic patch of rounded feathers in scale-like arrangement, iridescent, with brassy and 
bronze-green reflections; back, scapulars, and tertials lustrous purplish-slate; rump, 
upper tail-coverts, wing-coverts, lining of wings, sides and flanks ashy blue; crissum 
and under tail-coverts white; flight-feathers dusky; tail ashy blue basally, ashy brown 
terminally and crossed by a broad subterminal band of dusky. Bill yellow, tipped 
with black; legs and feet yellow with black nails; a prominent red eye-ring. Adult 
female: Like male, but somewhat paler, especially below, where also less purple and 
more brownish; cervical collar and metallic crescent not “subdued or wanting.” Im¬ 
mature birds lack the cervical collar and crescent, and are extensively washed with rusty 
brown below, especially on breast; wing-coverts paler ashy, and ashy-white-edged. 
Av. of 4 males and 6 females: length (skins) 372.2 (14.65); wing 219.8 (8.65); tail 134.4 
(5.29); bill 17.4 (.685); tarsus 27.1 (1.067). 
Recognition Marks. —Little hawk size; a little larger than a domestic pigeon 
and appearing much like one; tail-feathers rounded; cooing notes; noisy flapping flight. 
Nesting. — Nest: A rude platform of sticks placed at any height in oak tree or 
conifer, or even upon the ground. Eggs: usually single, but 2 of record; elliptical 
oval or abruptly pointed at one end; pure white. Av. size 39.1 x 27.5 (1.54 x 1.08); 
index 70. Season: February—October, but usually May—July; one brood. 
Range of Chloroenas fasciata. —Western North America from southwestern 
British Columbia south to Cape San Lucas and Central America. 
Range of C. f. fasciata. —As above minus southern Lower California. 
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