26 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PAN AM A — PART 2 



localities, as near Los Angeles, California, and Miami, Florida, in the 

 United States. I have not been able to locate the McLeannan specimen 

 mentioned, and there has been no further reference to the bird in the 

 wild in Panama. The report of its acclimation is believed to have been 

 made through misunderstanding.] 



COLUMBINA TALPACOTI (Temminck) ; Ruddy Ground-Dove; 

 Tortolita Colorada 



Columba talpacoti Temminck, in Temminck and Knip, Les Pigeons, Colombi- 

 gallines, 1811, p. 22. (Brazil.) 



Small ; warm brown in color, with a flash of brighter brown from 

 its wings as it flies. 



Description. — Length 155 to 180 mm. Adult male, crown gray to 

 brownish gray, paler on forehead ; hindneck more or less vinaceous, 

 changing to cinnamon-brown or darker on rest of upper surface, in- 

 cluding wings and central tail feathers ; outer web and tip of alula, tips 

 of primaries, and outer tail feathers fuscous-black; scapulars and 

 inner secondaries, with a few oblique bars or spots of black ; throat dull 

 white or vinaceous-white ; under surface vinaceous-russet, paler and 

 grayer on foreneck and sides of head, deeper rufous-brown on abdo- 

 men and under tail coverts ; axillars and inner under wing coverts 

 black ; outer under wing coverts and under surface of wing cinnamon- 

 brown, the outer wing coverts in some mixed with black. 



Adult female, above buffy brown to light olive-brown, grayer on the 

 forehead, with black markings on back as in male ; under surface dull 

 buffy gray, with throat and abdomen white; sides and under tail 

 coverts drab-brown. 



Immature male, like female, but usually browner. 



This species is widely distributed through the Tropical Zone from 

 north-central Mexico, south through Central America, ranging beyond 

 in South America from northern Colombia and Venezuela to eastern 

 Bolivia and northern Argentina. It is found especially in more open 

 areas, so that the drier, less forested sections of Panama are favorable 

 habitat. But in regions of forest it ranges also back of beaches and 

 along the open playas of larger rivers. It is common at the borders of 

 human settlements, whether isolated Indian villages or the suburban 

 gardens of spreading, modern towns and cities. Wherever clearings 

 are made for pastures or cultivated fields presently these doves appear. 



The nominate population Columbina talpacoti talpacoti, found from 

 the llanos of southeastern Colombia and the Guianas southward, has 

 the under wing coverts, and most of the under surface of the entire 



