COLI'MBID-E— THE PIGEON'S. 



379 



Zenaida amabilis, Box.vp. 



ZENAIDA DOVE. 



/ 



Columba zenaida, Bokap. J. A. N. Sc. V, 1S25, 30. — Ib. Am. Om. 11, 1828, pi. xv. — 

 Wagleb, Isis, 1829, 744. — Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 625. — ArD. Orn. Biog. 11, 1834, 

 354; V, 558, pi. clxii. — Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 1, pi. cclxxxi. Zenaida amabilis. Box. 

 List, 1838. — Ib. Consp. II, 1854, 82. — GossE, Birds Jam. 1847, 307. — REiCHEXB.iCH, 

 Icones Av. " tab. 255." — Guxdlach, Cabauis's Journ. 1856, 111. — Baird, Birds N. 

 Am. 1858, 602. — Reich. Handb. Taiib. 21, tab. 255, f. 2867, 2868 ; 254, f. 1412. — 

 March, P. A. N. S. 1863, 352. Zenaida aurita. Gray, not Columba aurita of 

 Lichtensteiu (Z. maculala), nor of Temiuinck (Z. martinicana), fide Bonaparte. 



Sp. Char. Wings very long, reacliing to tlie terminal third of the tail. Above reddish- 

 olive, variously glossed with gray ; the 

 top of the head and the under parts 

 violet-purphsh red, paler on the chin 

 and throat. Inside of wings, and sides 

 of body, blue ; greater wing-coverts 

 tinged with the same. Quills dark 

 brown ; the secondaries tipped with 

 white. Inner tail-feathers like the 

 back ; the others blue above ; all with a 

 subterrainal bar of black, beyond which 

 the blue is lighter, assuming a whitish 

 tint on the exterior feathers. Wing- 

 coverts with concealed spots of black, 

 which are more visible on the tertials ; 

 a spot of the same below the ear. Bill 

 black. Feet yellowish. Length, 10.00 ; 

 wing, 6.00 ; tail, 4.00. 



Hab. Florida Keys. Chiefly on or near Indian Key and the West Indies. Santa Cruz 

 (Newtox. Ibi.s I, 2.53, eggs); Cuba (Cab. J. IV, III; GrsoL. Rep. I, 1866, 301); 

 Bahamas (Bryant, Pr. B. TII, 18.59) ; Jamaica (Gosse, B. J. 317) ; Sombrero (Lawr. Till, 

 99) ; Porto Rico (Bryaxt, B. P. 1866). 



Among many specimens of this species before us is one from Mr. Audu- 

 bon's collection, probably procured in Florida. It must be much rarer now 

 than formerly on the keys, as several collections of bhds made on Indian 

 Key do not include any specimens. 



The Z. hypoleuca, Gray,^ of South America, is very similar, but lacks any 

 trace of the broad white bar at the end of the secondaries. There is more 

 white on the tail, the feathers of which are narrower at the ends ; besides, 

 the colors generally are lighter, the crissum being creamy-white. 



Habits. The Zenaida Dove was found by Mr. Audubon to be a transient 

 visitor of the keys of East Florida, where, according to liis observations, 

 they made their first appearance among the islands aroimd Indian Key 

 about the 15th of April. There they continued to increase in numbers until 



Z'-n'iida amabilis. 



' Zenaida hypolevca, "Gv.w," Bosap. Consp. II, 1857, 83. 



