COLUMBID^ — THE PIGEONS. 



395 



Starncenas cyanocephala, Bon. 



BLUE-HEADED PIGEON. 



Columba cyanocephala, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 282. — Gmelin, Syst. I, 1788, 778. — 

 Wagler, Syst. Avium, 1827, Columba, No. 112. — AuD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 441; 

 V. 1839, 557, pi. clxxii. Stariimnas cyanocephala, Bonap. List, 1838. — Ib. Consp. 

 II, 1854, 69. — AuD. Syn. 1839, 193. —1b. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 23, pi. cclxxxiv. — 

 GUNDLACH, Cab. Journ. IV, 1856, 108. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 608. —Cab. J. 

 IV, 108 (Cuba). — GUNDL. Repert. Cub. 1, 1806, 299. —Reichenb. Handb. Taub. 30, 

 tab. 257, f. 1431 ; 266, f. 2879 - 81. Starncenas cyanocephala, Reichenbach, Systema Av. 

 1851, p. XXV, pi. xxiii. — Ib. Icones Av. tab. 260 and 266. Geophilusl cyanocephala, 

 Selby, Pigeons, Jard. Nat. Lib. V, 216, pi. xxvii. Columba {Lophyrus) cyanoccjjhala, 

 Nuttall, Man. I, (2d. ed.,) 1840, 769. Columba tetraoides, (Scopoli,) Gmelin, I, 772. 

 Blue-headed Turtle, Latham, Syn. II, ir, 651. 



Sp. Char. Bill blue, the fleshy part at the base carmine. Iris brown, scales of feet 

 carmine, the interspaces white. Above and on sides glossy dark chocolate-olivaceous; 

 beneath brownish-red, lighter 

 centrally. Chin and throat 

 black, with a narrow border 

 of white below. A white 

 line begins in the chin, and 

 passes under the eye to the 

 occiput. Sides of head above 

 this and forehead black ; 

 crown blue. Length, 10.70; 

 wing, 5.40 ; tail, 4.35. 



Hab. West India Islands ; 

 according to Audubon found 

 occasionally at Key West, 

 Florida, and other southern 

 keys. 



The axillars and under 

 surface of the wings are 



like the belly. The crissum is most like the back, 

 have a bluish tinge above. 



The hind toe in this species is not strictly in the same plane with the 

 others, but placed a little above their point of insertion. 



Habits. This handsome Pigeon belongs to the fauna of the West India 

 Islands, and is only an occasional visitant of Key West and other southern 

 keys of Florida. They are a common species in Cuba, from which island a 

 few are stated by Mr. Audubon to migrate each year to certain of the keys of 

 Florida, where, however, they are rarely seen on account of their living only 

 in the most tangled thickets. Mr. Audubon saw a pair on the western side 

 of Key West. They were near the water picking gravel, but they would not 

 suffer a near approach. He saw a pair, also, that had been taken, jvhen 

 young, on " Mule Keys." These fed well on cracked corn and rice, but he 

 was unable to obtain any further information in respect to them. 



Starnanas cyanocephala. 



The outer tail-feathers 



