388 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



the sides and fl 

 mostly 



of wing 



anks, faintest on the jugulum, obsolete on throat. Primaries and lining 

 deep chestnut ; axillars black; lateral tail-feather with the terminal half 

 white, on both webs ; second and third feathers with 

 a gradually decreasing amount of white. Sexes similar. 

 Young similar, but feathers faintly mottled, and mark- 

 ings less sharply defined. Wing, 3.75 ; tail, 4.40 ; 

 culmen, .47 ; tarsus, .57 ; middle toe, .58. Female a 

 little smaller. 



Hab. Rio Grande Valley, south to Guatemala. 

 Arizona (Tucson, Bendire) ; Oaxaca (Scl. 1859, 391, 

 eggs) ; Cordova (1856, 309) ; Guatemala (Ibis I, 223) ; 

 Honduras (Taylor, Ibis, II, 227); City of Mexico (Scl. 

 P. Z. S. 1864, 178.) 



Scardafella inca. 



Specimens from Nicaragua to Texas and 

 Mazatlan do not vary appreciably. 



Habits. Our information in regard to the distribution and habits of this 

 species is quite incomplete. It was met with near Cadereita, in the State 

 of New Leon, Mexico, by Lieutenant Couch, who procured a specimen April 

 18, 1853. 



It was also found in flocks in company with Chama'pelia rufipennis, near 

 San Pedro and Peten, Honduras, by Leyland. Mr. Salvin met with only a 

 single specimen at Duenas. On the coast it was more numerous, resembling 

 in its habits the common species of the district, Chamccpclia passerina. 



The •' Long-tailed Ground Dove " is said by Mr. Gr. C. Taylor to be very 

 common in Honduras, where it is generally seen in pairs. They were found 

 to be very good eating, but too small to repay tlieir cost where ammunition 

 was so scarce. 



It was found breeding near Laredo, Texas, by Dr. H. B. Butcher, July 1, 

 1866. The nest (S. I. 12,896) is said to have been built in the fork of a 

 small mesquite-tree, and to have contained two eggs. The eggs are similar 

 to those of the Chamwpelia passerina, white, of an oval shape, nearly equally 

 obtuse at either end. 



Mr. Xantus found this Dove breeding abundantly at Cape St. Lucas. The 

 maximum number of eggs was invariably two. One nest was found in a 

 leafless acacia about six feet from the ground ; another, found May 26, was 

 about five feet high, in a small thorn-bush ; a third was at the height of eight 

 feet, and also placed in a bush ; others were placed in small oaks, in cacti, in 

 opuntia, and other situations, all above the ground at heights varying from 

 five to eight feet. 



The eggs of this Dove are of a white color, are oval in their shape, of 

 about equal size at either end, and measure .91 of an inch in length by .70 

 in breadth. 



