band, with a few white feathers interspersed, and one or two
more on the shoulder. Another with the nape of the neck white,
shading off with (lie same colour towards the head. One, a female,
white, with a few brown feathers on the shoulders. One silvery
white all over. The late William Thompson, Esq., of Belfast, describes
one which had a white head, and the whole of the upper
plumage- black, like a male, a specimen, in the language of the
Pigeon-fanciers, of a 'Hooded Nun,' while the under plumage was
that of a female.
One had the quill feathers white and the wing coverts black.
I have seen one at Howsham, the seat of Colonel Cholmley, of a
light bluish slate-colour all over, the head being darker than the rest
of the plumage. Another, shot near Minehead, whereof John Marshall,
Esq., of Belmont, near Taunton, has apprised me, was of a blue
lavender-colour, the legs and feet only black. One, white, save and
excepting a delicate pencilling of black on the back and breast.
Specimens also variously marked with white.
One of these birds, which had been kept by the Rev. J. Pemberton
Bartlett from the nest, became white on both wings in its sixth year,
the following year's moult restoring it to its original plumage; another
was noticed by Mr. Bix, near Norwich, which had at first shewed
one 'white feather' in its tail, and the next year it had two or three,
and the head, neck, and back much speckled with similar ones. One,
a female, of a complete cream-colour, with yellow bill and legs, was
shot by Air. George Johnson, of Melton Ross, near Brigg, Lincolnshire.