COLUMBIDJ; — THE PIGEONS. 499 



Zenaidura macroura (Linn.) 



MOTTENING DOVE. 



Popnlar synonyms. Turtle Dove; Amerie n Turtle Dove; Common Dove; Carolina 



Dovo. 

 Columba macroura LiXN. S. N. ed. 10, 1,1758,164 (part). 



Zenaidura macroura Ridgw. Proe. U. ^^. Nat. Mus. viii. 1885, 355. 

 Columba carolinensis Linn. S. N. ed. 12, 1, 1766, 286.— Wlls. Am. Om. v, 1812. 91, pi. 43, 

 &g. 1.— NUTT. Man. 1. 1832, 626.— Aud. Orn. Biog. i. 1831, 91; v, 1839. 555, pi. 17. 

 Ectopistes carolinensis Rich. 1837.— Aud. Synop. 1839. 195; B. .\m. v. 1842, 36, pi. 286. 

 Zenaidura carolinensis Bp. 1854.— Baikd, B. N. Am. 1858. 604; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 

 451.— CouES.Key. 1872, 226; Check List, 1874, No. 371; 2d ed. 1882, No. 544; B. N. W. 

 1874,389 (.Zencedura).—B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. iii, 1874, 383, pL 58, flg. 2.— BlDGW. 

 Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 460. 



Hab. The whole of temperate North -America to a little north of the United States 

 boundary (Ontario, etc.); south through Mexico and Central .^.merica to the Isthmus of 

 Panama, Cuba, Jamaica, and some other West Indian islands. 



Sp. Chab. Adult mate. Above grayish brown, the scapulars withroundish or oblong 

 spots of black ; sides, and under surface of wings light grayish blue. Tail, except middle 

 pair, shading from white on outer web of lateral feathers to dark plumbeous on next to 

 middle pair, which are grayish brown ; each rectris crossed, just beyond the middle, by 

 a broad bar of black, after which the gray is considerably lighter than that anterior to 

 the spot. Occiput and nape light pearl-gray, with a glaucous tinge; rest of head pale 

 purplish cinnamon, inclining to whitish on the chin. Breast delicate pinkish vinaceous 

 changing to fine creamy buff on abdomen; crissum pale creamy buff. Sides of neck 

 richly glossed with metallic reddish purple, and just beneath the auriculars a spot of 

 glossy blue-black. Bill black, the cere bluish gray and rictus lake-red; naked orbital 

 skin delicate pale blue, tinted with greenish; iris deep brown; feet lake-red claws black. 

 Total length (fresh) 12.60-13.00; extent, 17.50-18.25; wing (skinl, 5.80-6.10; tail, 6.00-6.50. Adult 

 female. Similar to the male, but colors duller. Head light drab, whitish on chin, and 

 scarcely, if at all, bluish on occiput and nape; breast light drab, changing gradually to 

 creamy buff on the abdomen: metallic gloss on sides of neck fainter, and black spot be- 

 neath ears smaller and without blue gloss. Size a little smaller. Young. Somewhat 

 like the adult female, but much duller, more brownish, and with feathers of jugulum, 

 neck, and upper parts margined or tipped with paler. 



The Mourning Dove is found throughout the State and is a per- 

 manent resident in most places, though less numerous and of un- 

 certain occurrence in winter. In the spring of 18S3 all the speci- 

 mens shot at Wheatland, Indiana, had the ends of the toes frozen 

 off, showing that they had braved the almost unprecedented cold 

 of the preceding winter. The species have even been known to 

 winter as far north as Canada; Mr. John J. Morley, of Windsor, 

 Ontario, informing Professor Baird (in epist.) that he had seen con- 

 siderable numbers near that place on the 6th of December, 1878, 

 and that he had on other occasions seen it "in various places, 

 from three to twelve at a time." 



