140 PIGEONS 



313. Columba flavirostris Wagl RED-BILLED PIGEON. 



Adult male. Head, neck, and under parts dull pinkish purple, except 

 for tawny chin, slaty belly and under tail coverts ; wing coverts with red- 

 dish brown patch, fore part of neck brownish, hinder part, wings, and tail 

 bluish gray, blackish on quills and end of tail. Adult female : similar but 

 smaller and duller. Young : colors dull, tinged with ashy. Length : lo.75- 

 14.(iO. wing about 7.50-7.80, tail 5.40-5.50. 



Distribution. -- From southern parts of Texas and Lower California, 

 south through Mexico and Central America. 



ypst. A platform of twigs, in thickets or groves of ash-trees. Egg : 

 white. 



The red-billed pigeon was found by Mr. Sennett in the timber of 

 the lower Rio Grande. He says it is a secluded bird, and that its 

 cooing is clear, short, and rather high-pitched. 



GENUS ECTOPISTES. 



315. Ectopistes migratorius (Linn.). PASSENGER PIGEON. 

 Tail nearly as long as wing, graduated, the feathers narrow and pointed 



at tips ; tarsus short, feathered part way down in front ; side toes unequal. 



Adult male. Head and neck bluish gray ; under parts deep pinkish 

 brown, becoming pinkish on sides and white on belly ; nape and sides of 

 head glossed with metallic reddish purple ; wings and back brown, wings 

 spotted with black ; rump bluish gray, tail changing from blackish on 

 middle feathers to white on outer webs of outer feathers ; inner webs with 

 black and rufous spots. Adult female : similar but head brownish, pink 

 of under parts replaced by brown ; metallic gloss less distinct. Young : 

 feathers of fore parts tipped with white, giving a mottled appearance, 

 quills edged with rusty. Length : 15.00-17.25, wing 8.00-8.50, tail 8.20- 

 s.75. Female somewhat smaller. 



Distribution. Formerly eastern North America from Hudson Bay 

 southward, and west to the plains ; accidental in Nevada and Washington. 

 Now nearly extinct. A few pairs supposed to be left in Canada, Manitoba, 

 Wisconsin, and Michigan. 



GENUS ZENAIDURA. 



316. Zenaidura macroura (Linn.}. MOURNING DOVE. 



Tail of fourteen feathers, graduated, more than two thirds as long as 



wing ; feathers more or less narrowed 

 at tips : wings pointed ; tarsus naked ; 

 side toes of unequal length, the outer 

 shortest ; space around the eye bare. 

 ., (IS Adult male: tail bordered with white 



and with subterminal black spots ; back 

 and wings with a few roundish black spots ; rest of upper parts brown : top 

 of head washed with bluish gray, sides of head with blue black spot and 

 pink iridescence ; under pans brownish, tinged with pink on breast. Adult 

 ft mnli : similar but paler throughout, with little if any bluish gray on head, 

 black e;ir spot smaller, and metallic gloss less distinct. Young: duller 

 than female, without metallic gloss or distinct ear spot . ; feathers of upper 

 parts and breast with ".ravish tips. Length: 11-1.'), wing 5.70-0. 10, tail 

 5.70-15.50, bill .50-.55. 



Distribution. - - Ureeds in Transition and Upper and Lower Sonoran /ones 



