166 STOCK DOVE. 
grey, grey on the lower part and sides. Back above, bluish 
brown, then bluish grey, and on the lower part grey. 
The wings rather long—two feet two inches in expanse, 
have the second quill feather the longest, the third nearly of 
the same length, the first a little shorter; greater and lesser 
wing coverts, bluish grey: sometimes one or more of these 
feathers has a single leaden grey spot; primaries, dark leaden 
grey, the outer margins paler; secondaries, light bluish’ grey 
at the base of the outer web, the ends dark leaden grey, the 
three inner have a large patch of black on their outer webs; 
tertiaries, bluish grey, the last three with a leaden grey spot 
on the outer web; greater and lesser under wing coverts, grey. 
The tail, of twelve feathers, and slightly rounded at the end, 
is bluish grey for two thirds of its length, then succeeded by 
a narrow band of a lighter grey, the end dark leaden grey: 
the inner part of the outer web of the outer feather on each 
side is almost white; upper tail coverts, grey; under tail 
coverts, grey; the legs are feathered in front one third down, 
and are, as the toes, carmine purple red; claws, light brown, 
yellowish grey towards the end. 
The female scarcely differs from the male, except in size, 
and in the less purity of colours. Length, one foot one inch 
and a half. The wings expand to the width of not quite 
two feet two inches. 
The young are at first without the metallic shades on the 
sides of the neck, and the spots on the tertiaries. 
Individuals vary slightly in colour. The quills of the 
wings when worn become browner. 
