﻿Aruba, Curaqao, and Bonaire. 333 



My friend Hans von Berlcpsch has called my attention to 

 the original description of Jacquin's Columba corensis (Beytr. 

 z. Geschiehte d. Vogel, 1784, p. 31). The author there says, 

 " Columba (corensis) cauda cequali, orbitis denudatis atro- 

 punctatis, corpore griseo." 



" Near Koro, in Venezuela, occurs a fine Pigeon, which 

 agrees in size with the common domesticated Pigeon. It 

 is entirely of a beautiful grey colour, and the feathers of the 

 hind neck are scale- like, which, although of the same colour 

 as the others, appear different in different lights. The red 

 eyes stand in a bare space, which is beset with black spots. 

 The feet are red. The Indians take the young from their 

 nests, feed them up, and eat them." (Translated from the 

 German.) Gmelin's diagnosis is merely based on Jacquhr's 

 description, and I quite agree with Berlepsch that the 

 description is so uncertain — the more so when considering 

 that the West-Indian Columba corensis of recent authors 

 has not yet been found on the continent — that the name 

 of Temminck, who gives a good figure and description of it, 

 should stand for this species. I am very glad to learn that 

 Count Salvadori agrees with us in this conclusion. 



Examples from Bonaire are absolutely identical with speci- 

 mens from Cuba. 



I met with this Pigeon only among the rocks on Bonaire, 

 where it is fairly common near Fontein. 



Its note is a very loud and strong cooing, consisting of 

 three sounds, somewhat like coo-roo-coo, and repeated very 

 frequently. 



I did not see this Pigeon on the ground, and it appears to 

 get most of its food from the trees. 



The bill is of a dark blood -red colour, horn- white at the 

 tip. The iris consists of two rings, the outer one crimson, 

 the inner one yellow. The naked papillose space round the 

 eye is yellow, not red. 



There is said to be a Pigeon on the Christoffel in Curasao, 

 of which neither Herr Peters nor I have been able to get 

 specimens. It is called " Paloma preto," which means 

 " Black Pigeon/' A native of Curacao told me it was the 



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