ZEN A IDA DOVE. 295 



shall leave the promising task to any one whose researches may lead 

 him to engage in it ; and shall only observe, that the two species de- 

 scribed by Wilson belong to a different group from the three we have 

 since introduced into the Fauna of this country. Of these the present 

 beautiful Dove is the only one hitherto undescribed. 



This new and charming little species inhabits the Florida keys with 

 the preceding, but is much more rare. We have also received it from 

 Cuba, and noticed a specimen in a collection of skins sent from that 

 island by Mr. MacLeay to the Zoological Society of London, They 

 are fond of being on the ground, where they are most commonly observed, 

 dusting themselves, and seeking for the gravel which, like the gallin- 

 aceous birds, they swallow to assist digestion. When flushed they 

 produce the same whistling noise with their wings as the common Turtle 

 Dove, Columba carolinensis. 



The Zenaida Dove measures ten inches in length. The bill is some- 

 what more robust than that of the common Dove, but otherwise perfectly 

 similar, less than an inch long, black, the corners of the mouth being 

 lake : the irides are dark brown, the pupil of the eye large, and the 

 eye itself full, giving the whole bird a mild and pleasing expression : 

 the naked orbits are of a bluish gray. The whole plumage above is 

 yellowish ashy-brown, tinged with vinaceous on the crown, and paler on 

 the sides of the head and neck ; under the ears is a small bright rich 

 and deep violaceous spot, rivalling the amethyst in splendor ; and above 

 this a similar smaller one, not very distinguishable : the sides of the 

 neck before the bend of the wing exhibit splendid golden violaceous 

 reflections slightly passing into greenish in diff'erent lights : the scapulars 

 are spotted with black, the spots being large and roundish ; the exterior 

 wing-coverts, spurious wing and quill-feathers are blackish ; the pri- 

 maries are edged with white externally, and with the exception of the 

 outer ones, at tip also ; the secondaries are broadly terminated with 

 white. The chin is yellowish white ; the whole inferior surface is 

 bright vinaceous, paler on the throat, and gradually passing into richer 

 on the belly ; the flanks and under wing-coverts are delicate lilac, and 

 the under tail-coverts are mixed with the same color, some of the 

 longest being entirely lilac, which is also found at the base of the plu- 

 mage on the belly and rump. The wings are six inches and a quarter 

 long, reaching within one inch of the tip of the tail : the primaries are 

 entire on both vanes ; the first is longer than the fourth, the second 

 longest, though scarcely longer than the third. The tail is four and 

 a half inches long, composed of twelve broad, full, rounded feathers, 

 extending but one inch beyond their coverts : it is nearly even, and of 

 the color of the body, with a broad black band at two-thirds of its 

 length, obsolete on the two middle feathers (which are of the color of 

 the body), purer on the three exterior ; the lateral feathers are pearl- 



