COLUMBID^E — THE PIGEONS. 



379 



Zenaida amabilis, Bonap. 



ZENAIDA DOVE. 



Columha zenaida, Bonap. J. A. N. Sc. V, 1825, 30. — Ib. Am. Orn. II, 1828, pi. xv. — 

 Wagler, Isis, 1829, 744. — Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 625. —Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 

 354; V, 558, pi. clxii. — Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 1, pi. cclxxxi. Zenaida amabilis, Bon. 

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

 Icones Av. "tab. 255." — Gundlach, Cabanis's Journ. 1856, 111. — Baikd, Birds N. 

 Am. 1858, 602. — Reich. Handb. Taub. 21, tab. 255, f. 2867, 2868 ; 254, f. 1412. — 

 Mauch, p. a. N. S. 1863, 352. Zenaida aurita, Giiay, not Columba aurita of 

 Lichtenstein {Z. maculata), nor of Temminck {Z. martinicana), fide Bonaparte. 



Sp. Char. Wings very long, reaching to tlie terminal third of tlie 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 

 Avhite. Inner tail-feathers like the 

 back ; the others Ijlue above ; all with a 

 subterniinal bar of black, beyond which 

 the blue is lighter, assuming a whitish 

 tint on tiie 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, 10.00 ; 

 Aving, 6.00 ; tail, 4.00. 



Hab. Florida Keys. Chiefly on or near Indian Key and the West Indies. Santa Cruz 

 (Newton, Ibis, I, 253, eggs); Cuba (Cab. J. IV, III; Gundl. Rep. I, 1866, 301); 

 Bahamas (Bryant, Pr. B. VII, 1859) ; Jamaica (Gosse, B. J. 317) ; Sombrero (Lawr. VIII, 

 99) ; Porto Rico (Bryant, B. P. 1860). 



zenaida amahilis. 



Among many specimens of this species before us is one from Mr. Audu- 

 bon's collection, probably procured in Florida. It must be much rarer now 

 than formerly on the keys, as several collections of birds made on Indian 

 Key do not include any specimens. 



The Z. h'l/pole Ilea, -Grsij} of South America, is very similar, but lacks any 

 trace of the broad white bar at the end of the secondaries. There is more 

 white on the tail, the feathers of which are narrower at the ends ; besides, 

 the colors generally are lighter, the crissum being creamy-wdiite. 



Habits. The Zenaida Dove was found by Mr. Audubon to be a transient 

 visitor of the keys of East Florida, where, according to his observations, 

 they made their first appearance among the islands around Indian Key 

 about the 15th of April. There they continued to increase in numbers until 



1 Zenaida hypoleuca, " Gray," Bonap. Consp. IT, 1857, 83. 



