382 



XORTII AlIERICAN BIRDS. 



as it belongs to a diff'erent subfamily. At present three species are known, 

 two of them recently described. Unless Z. yucalancnsis proves to be a 



Zenaidura carolineiisis. 



hybrid between Zcnaida amabilis and Zcnaidiira carolineiisis, it may be 

 expedient to merge Zcnaida and Zenaidura into one, since, if yucatensis 

 prove to be a permanent form, the additional pair of tail-feathers is all that 

 is left to characterize Zenaidura ; and when we consider that the wedge-tailed 

 Halicetus pelagicus has fourteen tail-feathers, while the round-tailed species 

 have only twelve, it seems reasonable to consider the difference as merely 

 specific in this case also. 



A. Secondaries ln-oadly tipped with white. 



Z. yucatanensis.' Beneath entirely deep purplish-vinaceous. Wing, 6.00 ; 

 tail, 4.ii0; culmen, .58; tarsus, .85; middle toe, .90. IToh. Yucatan. 



B> Secondaries not tipped with white. 



Z. carolinensis. Beneath light purplish-vinaceous anteriorly ; crissum 

 nearly white. Wing, 5.90; tail, 6.00; culmen, ..50; tarsus, .86; middle toe, 

 .82. Hab. Whole of North America, south to Panama; West Indies. 

 Z. graysoni.- Beneath entirely uniform deep reddish-cinnamon. Wing, 

 6.U0 ; tuil, 5.15 ; culmen, .84 ; tarsus, 1.08 ; middle toe, .97. Hab. Socorro 

 Island, western coast of Mexico. 



1 Zenaidura yucatanensis, Lawk. Ann. K. Y. IX, 1869. This bird is so exactly intermediate 

 between the Z. carolineiisis and Zenaida amabilis, as to lead us to strongly suspect it is a 

 hybrid between the two. With the Z. carolinensis it agrees only in possessing foiutecn tail- 

 feathers ; the coloration and size and shape of the bill being exactly those of Z. amabilis, 

 while the tail-feathers are intermediate in length and shape between those of the two species. 

 Tlic colors difler from those of Z. amabilis only in being of a just appreciably lighter sluide, there 

 being the same broad white tip to the secondaries, brilliant steel-blue sub-auricular spot, and 

 deep reddish crissum, characterizing the Z. amabilis, as distinguished from Z. carolinensis. 



" Zenaidura graysoni, Lawk. Ann. N. Y. Lye. February, 1871, 17. A veiy distinct siiecies, 

 remarkable for its large, very long, and much depressed bill, and deep femiginous, instead of 

 pinkish-yinaceous, lower paits. The specimens are unfortunately all young birds, though they 

 .ire fully grown. 



