138 PIGEONS 



The chaclialaca comes into the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas, 

 l)ut probably does not range more than fifty miles north of the 

 Mexican line. It keeps within the mesquite and chaparral, where 

 it calls from the treetops at sunrise and sunset, pronouncing its 

 local name, chachalac, in loud tones. Dr. Merrill says that it is 

 much hunted for the Brownsville market. 



ORDER COLUMB^: PIGEONS. 

 FAMILY COLUMBIDiE : PIGEONS. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



1. Tarsus shorter than side toes. 



2. Tail slightly rounded, feathers broad at tips . Columba. p. 138. 

 2'. Tail graduated, feathers narrow and pointed at tips. 



Ectopistes, p. 140. 

 1'. Tarsus longer than side toes. 

 2. Wing less than 4. 



3. Tail equal to or longer than wing-, narrowing 1<» a point, 



' Scardafella, p. 143. 

 3'. Tail shorter than wing, wide at end . Columbigallina, p. 143. 

 2'. Wing more than 5. 



3. Tip of outer quill abruptly narrowed . . . Leptotila, p. 141. 

 3. Tip of outer quill not abruptly narrowed. 



4. Tail feathers 12, tail rounded Melopelia, p. 142. 



4'. Tail feathers 14, tail graduated .... Zenaidura, p. 140. 



GENUS COLUMBA. 



General Characters. — Tail much shorter than Aving, slightly rounded, 

 the feathers broad and rounded or nearly square at tip ; wings pointed ; 

 side toes of about equal length. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Tail banded fasciata, p. 138. 



r. Tail uniform slaty black flavirostris, p. 140. 



312. Columba fasciata So,y. Band-tailed Pigeon. 



Adult male. — End of tail with broad — two inch — band, pale gray, bor- 

 dered above by black ; back of neck 



■^r^"'' 



Fi 



ii-ith white collar adjoined by iridescent 

 bronzy patch spreading back as a 

 greenish wash ; head and under parts 

 purplish pink, fading to whitish on 

 belly ; fore part of back tinged with 

 brownish, hinder part bluish gray ; wiaig quills blaekisb, coverts bluish 

 gray, faintly edg-ed with white. Adult female : like male but duller and 

 much grayer t.white nuchal band often obsolete, iridescent patch restricted, 

 head grayiid '^ead of pink, under parts larg'ely grayish. Young: with- 

 out white o"! {^/e, under parts dull grayish, tinged with brown on breast; 

 upper parts w ith feathers more or less lightly bordered with paler ; head 

 and neck dull' bluish grav in male, light gravish brown in female. Length • 

 l."3-10. wins- 8.00-8.80. tail 6.00-6.50. 



