BIRDS OF CUBA 79 



in the field it is larger and darker than ^ domestic pigeon and it ha^ a 

 natch of brilliant metallic feathers on each side of the neck. It is never 

 terre trill Ramsden has given an excellent account of ^he persecution it 

 suf^e "n Oriente, where it 'appears at intervals in great numbers. Ramsden 

 also records breeding rookeries which Gundlach never found. This 

 rgariX habit is bey'ond a doubt confined to the ^^d Eastern Provj^.ce 

 whire the Scaly-naped Pigeon still is more ^^undant than elsewhere^ 

 For never elsewhere have I met with numbers which -°^ ^ a bj °^ j^^^^g 

 five thousand individuals in a couple of weeks in one locahty. It st U 

 occurs in the regions mentioned by Gundlach, in the mountains of \ uelta 

 Tbaio and TrTnidad, but in both these highlands it may today be seen 

 fegXrly only in pai;s, trios, or small bands, and J^o^ab y never o..r a few 

 doyen in a day — and many days far fewer would be seen, blaughter tor 

 t:i and spo^t has alread'y very greatly reduced ^h- ^P^-^id f -^j;' 

 and it needs now protection, which probably will not be granted it, 

 and which, if granted, cannot be enforced. 



139. Columba inornata inornata Vigors. 

 Paloma Boba. 



Formerly very abundant, now an excessively rare bird. Recorded by 

 Gundlach as seen in great numbers in the Cienaga, about the_ shores of 

 Suan ana^:: Bay and the Isle of Pines, but not in the -tenor of the 

 T 1 .1 Tt U next to extinct about Guantanamo; Ramsden has, 1 think, 

 b t"a Single ^kin ad un'u a few days ago I had believed it extinct in the 

 rlnar It appears however, that a competent friend has located a small 

 S7on:;ith;ntr Swamp wher'e a few birds still occur I have just received 

 from him a single specimen, so the bird is not wholly go"- O^ f^/^ ^ 

 of Pines there were a few as late as 1912, when Link J^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^tS 

 upon which Todd based his local race proxima. Brooks and I have visited 

 that ida^d again and again at all times of the year, but no Pjo- ^ 

 seen from 1915 to 1918. Gone it probably is today from all of Pmar del 

 SS and from the Isle of Pines. This was ^^-'^^^le Paloma Bob ,th 

 Fool Dove, was unfortunately, in some localities at least, a well deservea 

 name. Such a stupid bird, sogoo^to^at^_neva^^o^^ 



>Auk, vol. 30, p. 271, 1913- 



