190 BULLETIN 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



form of weed-stems and grasses, with a slight concavity arranged 

 so loosely that the egg was visible from below. The adult was 

 flushed from the nest so that identity was certain. The single egg 

 was slightly incubated and like all pigeons' eggs of this group is 

 white with a somewhat glossy surface. It measures 35.9 by 28.0 

 mm. At Poste Charbert, near Caracol, the plain pigeon was com- 

 mon April 26 and 27. 



Danforth saw five in low woods near the mouth of the Artibonite 

 Kiver July 29, 1927. Bond says that this is the most common pigeon 

 in northern Haiti, being one of the few common birds in the upland 

 pine forests of this section. He records them from the Northern 

 Peninsula, Massif du Nord, Ennery (specimen), Montaignes Noires, 

 Etang Saumatre, Lake Enriquillo and on Tortue Island. He did 

 not see them on Gonave. Poole and Perrygo secured two at L'Ata- 

 laye January 8, 1929, reported them at Hinche March 17, and found 

 them very plentiful at Cerca-la-Source, preparing two skins and two 

 skeletons March 21 and on March 24 and 25 preserving a number 

 of skulls. An adult female taken April 22, had the iris grayish 

 white ; margins of eyelids dull rose, bare skin about eye purplish, 

 washed with dull rose; bill dull black, cere dusky gray; tarsus and 

 toes dull red ; claws dusky. 



Through the courtesy of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 

 there has been available an extensive series of this form from Cuba 

 for comparison with our equally extensive lot from Hispaniola. 

 There is considerable individual variation in the depth and suffusion 

 of the reddish color both above and below and also some individual 

 difference in the depth of the gray colors. Allowing for this the 

 birds from the two islands are so closely similar as to remain united 

 in one form. The measurements as well as the colors are also prac- 

 tically the same as the following will show : 



Ten males from Cuba, wing 205.0-229.0 (212.6), tail 123.3-146.8 

 (134.2), culmen 17.4-20.8 (19.1), tarsus 27.1-30.8 (29.3) mm. 



Nine males from Hispaniola, wing 208.0-228.5 (219.4), tail 117.5- 

 132.5 (125.0), culmen 17.8-21.4 (19.7), tarsus 29.3-31.6 (30.0) mm. 



Eight females from Cuba, wing 207.0-222.0 (212.0), tail 132.2- 

 146.7 (139.7), culmen 17.7-20.0 (18.6), tarsus 28.0-31.0 (28.8) mm. 



Seven females from Hispaniola, wing 205.0-217.0 (211.5), tail, 

 110.5-131.0 (120.1), culmen 17.6-20.7 (19.8), tarsus, 28.0-30.3 (29.2) 

 mm. 



The plain pigeon, as large as the scaled pigeon and possibly 

 heavier in body, is gray washed with vinaceous or purplish red over 

 the forepart of the body, with the greater wing coverts edged lightly 

 with white. Females are less brightly colored than males. 



