NESTb AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 113 



.80." The note of this Dove is a deep sonorous coo frequently repeated, 

 and heard at a great distance. 



465. Ground Dov^e — cham^pelia passerina. Bright white or creamy, 

 sh'ghtly more pointed at one end than at the other; two is the usual num- 

 ber; size about .87 by .6},. The Ground Dove is a common bird in 

 Southern United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is found as 

 far nortli as the Carolinas, and casually to Washington. D. C. The nest 

 is small and rather compact, placed on the horizontal branch of a stout 

 bush or tree ; and the bird sometimes constructs a roughly-made nest on 

 the ground. 



466. Scaled Dove — scardafella inca. White; two; size .90 by .70. 

 The nest of this Dove is placed in trees and bushes, varying in heights 

 from five to eight feet from the ground. It is rather compact, and com- 

 posed of twigs and grasses. 



Hab. Mexico to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, and along the border. 



467. Key West Dove — geotrygon martinica. According to Audu- 

 bon, the eggs are two in number, pure white, and about the size of those 

 of the White-headed Dove. The nests are placed in low bushes, or on 

 the ground. This Dove is a constant resident in the West Indies, and 

 occurs in summer at Key West, Fla. ; none, however, have been observed 

 at the latter place of late. Mr. Maynard flushed a couple of Doves at 

 Key West in 1870 which he took to be this species. 



468. Blue-headed Dove — starncenas cyanocephala. It appears that 

 the Blue-headed Quail Dove has been found only by Audubon on the 

 Florida Keys; it is resident in the West Indies. The nest is described as 

 being placed on trees and bushes, and composed of sticks careles.sly ar- 

 ranged. The eggs are one or two in number, pure white; size about 1. 40 

 by 1.05. 



469. Chachalaca; Texan Guan — ortalis vetula maccalli. In some 

 localities on the Lower Rio Grande in Texas and southward, this is one of 

 the most characteristic birds. It is a curious bird, and "rarely seen at any 

 distance from woods or dense chaparral ; they are abundant in those 

 places, and their hoarse cries are the first thing heard by the traveler on 

 waking in the morning. Their cry consists of three syllables resembling 

 cha-cha-lac continually repeated in a loud, hoarse tone. Shortly before sun- 

 rise and sunset they mount the topmost branch of a dead tree and make the 

 woods ring with their discordant notes. The nests are shallow structures, 

 often made entirely of Spanish moss, and placed on horizontal limbs a few 



