PIGEONS 143 



GENUS COLUMBIGALUNA. 



320a. Colurabigallina passerina pallescens {Baird). Mex- 

 ican Ground Dove. 



Wings sliort and broad, Avith elongated inner secondaries nearly over- 

 reaching primaries in the folded wing ; tail shorter than wing, nearly even, 

 of twelve broad feathers ; tarsns as long as middle toe without claw. 

 Adult male: back of head and neck bluish, feathers 

 suggesting scales : forehead, sides of head, and 

 under parts pinkish ; breast feathers brouii cen- 

 trally ; upper parts grayish, wings with inner webs Fig. 'JKi. 

 of quills bright reddish brown, coverts with blue 



black spots ; tail nearly even, blackish, except for middle feathers and 

 white corners. Adult female : similar but much duller, pink replaced by 

 pale brownish, blue by brownish gray ; spots on wing coverts brown. 

 Young : like female but duller, more grayish ; feathers, especially on upper 

 parts, tipped with whitish. Wing: .■j..jO-."5.()0, exposed culmen .42-.47. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Lower Sonoran and Tropical zones from Texas 

 to Arizona and south thx'ough Lower California and other parts of Mexico 

 to Central America. 



Nest. — Small and sometimes compact, of twigs or plant stalks, some- 

 times lined with a few straws, placed in a bush or tree 'A to 20 feet from 

 the ground. J'^ggs : 2, usually white. 



Food. — Small seeds, grain, and berries. 



The ground dove is a friendly little bird, stayini,^ wherever it can 

 tiud seeds or refuse grain, whether it be in town streets, horse cor- 

 rals, or on the picket line of an army post. In the fall, when weed 

 seeds are abundant, ^Ir. Herbert Brown has seen flocks of flfty about 

 Tucson, Arizona, but ordinarily they are in pairs or small flocks. 



GENUS SCARDAFELLA. 



321. Scardafella inca (Less.). Inca Dove. 



Tail d()ul)le r(»nnded. middle and outside "feathers both shorter than 

 those between, twelve in n\imber. all narrow and tapering ; tarsns very 

 short, slightly feathered above. Adults: u-hnle 

 bodji a///jarentlt/ saded ; upjier parts brownish ; 

 inner webs of wing (juills nuiiidy reddish brown ; 

 tail brown and black, two outer featliers largely '^'" ~ ' 



w hite ; undei- parrs pale grayi.sh pink, clianging to buff on belly : under 

 wing coverts i)artly black. Young: similar but duller, and upper parts 

 somewbat mottled bv occasional whitish tips to feathers. Length : S.lM), 

 wing:;.7<)-:;.T.">, tail 4.'<:<)-4.40. 



'Distribution. — Breeds in Lower Sonoran zone from tlie Kio (irande 

 valley of Texas and southern Arizona ; south througli Lower California 

 and other parts of Mexico to Xicar;igna. 



.V/'.s7. — In cactus, mesijuite. acacias, or small oaks. .') to 10 feet from 

 the ground, made of twigs and grasses. Fggs : 2. white. 



These daiiily little doves are more than hail" eivili/.ed. Vou find 

 them on the roads, iij the barnyard, the orchard, and the villaire 

 street — rarely :i\v:iy from ground trampled by man. They join 

 the poiiltiy at breakfast. an<l pick the grain that is scattered along 



