S42 BULLETIN OF THE 



Maynard informs me it was said to be common, and that at Dummitt's a 

 hollow tree was shown him in which a pair of these birds had bred for 

 several years. Audubon also speaks of it as being common in Florida. 



Respecting the numerous species of late recognized in the Slrix flam- 

 mea group of owls, Mr. Cassin has, with great propriety, remarked that 

 naturalists have " established species on very slender characters." 



As is well known, different specimens from near the same locality vary 

 considerably in color and size, while specimens from different continents 

 are frequently almost undistinguishable. From the considerable number 

 of specimens I have seen from distant points, as Europe, the United 

 States, South America, Southern Asia, the West Indies, Australia, and 

 South Africa, I see no reason why the Slrix JIammea may not be regarded 

 as having a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, which indeed seems to be 

 the present opinion of several European ornithologists. Nearly the same 

 variations in color appear to occur on each continent, the general color 

 in specimens from near the same locality varying from yellowish rufous 

 to pale fulvous, and the dusky spots from being large and conspicuous to 

 nearly obsolete or entirely wanting. 



COLUMBJJXai. 

 98.* Chamsepelia passerina Swainson. Ground Dove. 

 Common, especially about cultivated grounds. 



99* Zensedura carolinensis Bonaparte. Mourning Dove. 



Columlm. carolinensis Linne, Syst. Nat., I, 286, 1766.— Gmelin, Wilson, Nut- 

 tall, Audubon (Orn. Biog.). 



Columba marginata Linne, Syst. Nat., I, 286, 1766. 



Ectopistes margincllus Woodhouse, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., Vol. VI, 104, 

 1852. 



Zenrcdura carolinensis Bonaparte, Consp. Gen. Avium, II, 84, 1854. 



Zenccdura marginellus Bonapakte, Ibid., 85. 



Abundant. Among its favorite resorts are the wild orange-groves, 

 where it feeds on the seeds of the decaying fruit. Smaller than at the 

 north, with the metallic tints much brighter and more bronzy. 



MELEAGRIDJE. 



100* Meleagris gallopavo Linne. Wild Turret. 

 Meleagris galloparo Linne, Syst. Nat., 268, 1766. —Gmelin, Wilson, Bona- 

 parte, Audubon, Nuttall, Baird, etc. 

 Meleagris americana Bartram, Travels, 290, 1791. 

 Meleagris syluestris Vieill , Nouv. Diet., IX, 447. 



