602 



U. S. p. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



ZENAIDA, Bon. 



Zenaida, Bonaparte, Geog. & Comp. List, 1838. Type Columia zenaida, Bp. 



Ch. — Bill blftck ; the culmcn about two-fifllis the rest of the head. Tarsi a little shorter than the middle too and claw, but 

 considerably longer than t.o lateral toes. Tarsus with broad scutellae anteriorly, those on the lower half l>ifid, making two 

 hexagonal series. Inner lateral toe a little the longer. Hind toe and claw as long as the inner lateral without claw. Wings 

 lengthened ; second and third quills longest. Tail short, about two-fiflhs the wings, rounded or a little graduated. Orbits 

 feathered, especially anterior to the eye ; the lids bare. 



But one species of this genus belongs to our fauna, and this probably is Int an occasional 

 visitor. The Zenaida martinicana, of Bonaparte, from MartinicLue and the Bermudas, may 

 sometimes reach Florida.^ 



ZENAIDA AMABILIS, Bo nap. 



Zenaida Dove. 



Coluinba zenaida, Bonap. J. A. N. Sc. V, 1825, 30.— Ib. Am. Orn II, 1828 ; pL xv.— Ib. Syn. 1828, 119.— Wagler, 

 Isis, 1829, 744.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 625.— Add. Orn. Biog. 11, 1834,354: V, 558 ; pi. 

 162.— Ib. Syn. 191.— Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 1 ; pi. 281. 

 Zenaida amabilis, Bon. List, 1838. — Ib. Consp. II, 1854, 82. — Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 307. — Reichenbach, Iconcs 



Av. "tab. 255."— GuNDLACH, Cabanis' Journ. 185G, 111. 

 Zenaida uurila, Gray, not Columba aurila, of Lichtenstein, (Z. maculatn,) nor of Temrainck, (Z. »ii<n'(inicona,) fide 

 Bonaparte. 

 Sp. Ch. — Wings very long, reaching to the terminal third of the tail. Above reddish olive, variously glossed with gray ; the top 

 of the head and the under parts violet purplish 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; 

 {ho others blue above ; all with a subterminal 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 inches ; wing, 6.00 ; tail, 4.00. 

 Hab. — Florida Keys. Chiefly on or near Indian Key, and the West Indies. 



The only siiecimen of this species I have at my command is one from Mr. Audubon's collec- 

 tion, probably procured in Florida. It is more seldom seen now than formerly on the Keys, 

 as a collection of birds from Indian Key did not contain any specimens of it. 



List of specimens. 



MELOPELIA, Bonaparte. 



McUipclia, BuNAP. Consp. II, Doc. 1854, 81. Typo Columba tcucuiilcra, L. 



Ch. Similar to Z<»wi(Za ; the orbital region naked; tho bill longer; tho middle loo longer; the hinder shorter. 'I'ursal 



Bcutellae in a. singlo series anteriorly. First (luill nearly as long as the second and third . 



This genus, like nearly all the North American ones, is represented by but a single species in 

 the United States. 



' 'Aenaida marfinicann, Bon. Conspectus II, 1854,82. (Columba nuitfn, Tonmiinck, cnsdmrrt, Wagler ; Zenaida bimaculala, 

 Gray.) .Similar to Z. amubUis, but with tho spots on the tertiary nuills margined behirul with white ; tho abdomen and lower 

 tail coverts vinaccous white ; tho ti|)H of thi; uiilir tail foallicrs white. 



