38 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. XII. 



an immature male. Compared with measurements given by Ridgway 

 in his " Birds of North and Middle America," these specimens average 

 small, the wings of the two females being 126-131 and the male 130. 

 The species was only found near La Azulita at an elevation of about 

 3200 ft. It inhabited the dense woods, and was very shy. The imma- 

 ture male, which appeared just to have left the nest, was killed April 

 22nd. The habits are about the same as those of the large quail dove 

 Oreopeleia linearis of the temperate forest. 



Oreopeleia linearis Provost & Knip. 



Rio Mucujon, 4; Sierra de Merida, i ; Paramo Tambor, i ; Paramo 

 de Tama, i. 



We must agree with Chapman in not considering venesuelensis a 

 valid subspecies, as three of our specimens certainly could not be said 

 to have the gray of the head restricted to the sides, and two of these 

 birds were taken within twenty-five miles of Merida, the type locality 

 of venezuelensis. 



These quail doves live in the dense woods, where they can be heard 

 cooing morning and evening. They breed in March and April and 

 the males at that time seem very pugnacious. Some of the natives are 

 very expert at calling them, but they are so shy that if they see the 

 least movement, or hear any unusual noise, they will slip quickly 

 away. In one instance, a bird, coming to the call, was seen about 

 twenty yards off strutting and circling about exactly in the manner 

 of a domestic pigeon when courting its mate. When calling, the cocks 

 generally sit in a low tree or bush, but they will also answer from the 

 ground when coming to an imitation. Although no hens were shot, 

 an experience we had seems to indicate that they are more or less 

 silent when coming to the call of the male. We had stopped at a fav- 

 orite place one morning and the native had been calling for some time- 

 without receiving an answer. Suddenly, a bird came into sight not 

 fifteen feet away. It was walking quietly, but seeing us quickly flushed. 

 This was the only time a bird came to the call silently, so we assumed 

 it to be a female. 



On April 10, a nest of this pigeon was found in the crotch of a 

 good sized tree about 20 feet from the ground. It was made of twigs 

 and contained fresh eggs. A day and a half was spent in trying to 

 secure the bird, but she would not return while anyone was near the 

 nest. On the second morning when flushed again from the nest she 

 must have deserted it, since the eggs were found to be quite cold, late 

 that afternoon. 



