COLUMBID^E — THE PIGEONS. 367 



Habits. The Eed-billed Dove claims a place in the North American fauna 

 only as a resident in the valley of the Lower Eio Grande Kiver. It appears 

 also to be found on and near the gulf-coast of Mexico and Central America. 



It was taken at New Leon, Mexico, in March, 1853, by Lieutenant Couch, 

 and on the Eio Grande by Mr. A. Schott. It was first seen by the former 

 in the thick woody bottoms of the San Juan, New Leon. The birds were 

 quite common, but remained very secluded. They are said to be of very 

 rapid flight. 



Mr. G. C. Taylor (Ibis, 1860, p. 226) mentions finding these birds not un- 

 common on Tigre Island, in Honduras, but did not meet with them in the 

 interior. He speaks of them as very handsome birds, but gives no account 

 of their habits. 



Mr. Henry E. Dresser found the Eed-billed Dove quite common near 

 Matamoras, and breeding there. During the autumn great quantities, as 

 well as of the leucoptcra and the carolinensis, are brought to the market for 

 sale. At Brownsville, also, these birds were not uncommon, but were found 

 for only a short distance towards the interior of Texas, and none were seen 

 higher up the Eio Grande tlian Eoma. A Mexican, who shot doves for the 

 market, informed Mr. Dresser that he had found this species breeding near 

 the town of Matamoras, and that it builds a nest somewhat similar to that 

 of Z. carolinensis, but that its two eggs are somewhat larger. Their stomachs 

 were found filled with a kind of blueberry. 



Eggs in the Berlandier collection are oval in shape, equal and slightly 

 tapering at either end, and of a creamy-white color. They measure 1.18 

 inches in length by .90 of an inch in breadth. 



Genus ECTOPISTES, Swainson. 



Ectopistes, Swainson, Zobl. Jour. Ill, 1827, 362. (Type, Columba migratoria, L.) 



Gr-EN. Char. Head very small. Bill short, black ; culmen one third the rest of the 

 head ; feathers of the chin running very far forward ; gonys very short. Tarsi very short, 

 half covered anteriorly by feathers. Inner lateral claw much larger than outer, reaching 

 to the base of the middle one. Tail very long and excessively cuneate ; above as long as 

 the wings. First primary longest. Black spots on scapulars; a black and a rufous spot 

 on inner webs of tail-feathers. 



This genus is readily distinguished from the other Columbince by the 

 excessively lengthened and acute middle feathers. It formerly included the 

 Columba carolinensis, but this, with more propriety, has been erected into a 

 different genus, and will be found in the next section. 



bordered with white. Lesser wing-coverts chocolate-red, forming a bright shoulder-spot of 

 elliptical shape. Quill-feathers dusky, tinged with lead-color on the outer vanes. Third primary 

 longest. Upper and under tail-coverts bluish lead-color. Tail, 5 inches, slightly rounded, of 

 twelve feathers ; dusky." 



