BAHAMA GRULWD DOVE. 9.-0 



ashy this color often extending well down oh to the neck above. The bill is wholly black, not red at base. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily distinguished from tLe common Ground Dove, by the distinctively black bill and paler colors. 

 In 1887 I described this species (See American Exchange and Mart, Vol. Ill, No. 4, page (J!J, Feb. 6th 

 1887,) and about that time I examined Mr. Cory's large series of Ground Do\es and among them I f>und a 

 single specimen of a Bahama Ground Dove taken in Florida, 1 think at Enterprise, but at what time I do not 

 remember, thus the Bahama Ground Dove should be included in our fauna. The eggs do not differ from 

 those of our common species excepting in being smaller. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length, G.jO; wing, ;J.L'.j ; tail, L'-.'U; bill, .;JU; tarsus, .IJ2. 



HABITS. 



This is an excL't'dingh' common and familiar liird tla-oughout all of the Bahama 

 Islands which 1 have visited, being equally abundant in the grounds about the houses 

 even in the city of Nassau, in the open spaces in the scrub remote from settlements, as well 

 as on the most desolate and unfrequented ke_\s, provided tlie_\- are sufficient] \ wooded to 

 aflbrd the birds shelter. In the city of Nassau, and in other towns and settlements, thev 

 are very tame, feeding al)out the houses either in })aiis or in small Hocks of from ii.dfa 

 dozen to a dozen indi\iduals. 



The Bahama Ground Dove breeds everywhere about the more open portions of the 

 scrub. Tile nest, as far as I have observed, is always placed on trees or bushes, the latter 

 being most often chosen as a nesting site. The Doves breed (juite irregularh-, as will be 

 seen I)}' the following notes : 



On January 25, 1884, 1 secured a female witli eggs nearl\- ready to deposit. On 

 January 26th found a nest containing two eggs well advanced in incubation. The nest 

 was placed <jn an orange tree, about lour feet from the ground, on a deserted plantation. 

 As I approached, the female di'opped to the ground and instantly disappeared in the neioJi- 

 bormg scrub, without uttering a note. January 2Sth : Toda\- .•secured another nest with 

 eggs not as far advanced. This was placed on the top of a bunch of vines, that lav on a 

 Inish. that grew near a deserted plantation. The bird was setting, but behaved in a simi- 

 lar manner to that of the first nest foiuid. On the same day I got a newjv feathered 

 bird just able to fly. February 23d : Nestlings full\' grown are common. 



M.u'ch Ibtli. J lad a nest brought in containing two newly liatched egg.s, and on the 

 same day I started a bird from a nest, which was placed in a bush a!)out as high as niv 

 hand, that contained a fully fledged \oung, that Hew from the nest as I put m\- hand into 

 it. My attention was attracted to this nest by seeing the male, which was moving al)(nit 

 in a circle on the ground in the thicket, which was near, with liis wings .^^pread out, 

 counterfeiting lameness. Later in the day I found a nest containing one fresh egg, that 

 was placed in the edge of the .^crub. Later still procinvd a nest built on the top of a 

 broken branch of an orange tree, in a negro's yard, that contained two eggs nearly 

 hatched, and still later found another nest which contained eggs in the same condition. 



The notes of the Bahama Ground Dove appear to be similar to those of the common 



