BIRDS OF THE TRES MARIAS ISLANDS. 



35 



tlian tbey do representatives of palliatus from the adjacent maiiilaud. 

 A series of specimens from tbe soutliern eud of Lower California will 

 probably show intergradation between jjfl//i«i«s and f razor i. The fol- 

 lowing measurements show the comparative sizes of birds from various 

 localities : 



Meaaurementa of HwmatopuB palliatus, H. frazari, and H. galapagensis. 



Columba flavirostris madreusis N'elson. Ties Marias Pigeon. 



Coliimlm Jhiriroxlris (iiayson, Proc. Boston Soi/. Nat. Hist., XIV, p. 274, 1871; 



Lawr., Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., II, p. 304, 1874. 

 Cohimha flarirostris mailrensis Nelson, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, XII, p. G, 1898. 



These handsome birds were rather common on Maria Madre and 

 Maria Magdalena, ranging to the summits of the islands, and thej' 

 probably live also on Maria Oleofa. On Maria Madre they weie most 

 numerous along the wooded sides of a canyon some distance back from 

 the coast, where they usually i)erehed among the higlier branches of 

 the trees or were seen flying about by twos and threes. Early in the 

 morning a few could be found among the smaller trees on the bases of 

 the foothills near the settlement, but later in the day they retired farther 

 inland to the more heavily wooded slopes. On Maria Magdalena tliey 

 were numerous in some trees near a group of deserted houses and in 

 old clearings a short distance back fmm the shore. They came to these 

 trees to feed upon the ripening fruit, but were rather shy. When one 

 becomes startled and takes wing it makes a loud flapping noise that 

 alarms its companions, and then all dash swiftly away. They were less 

 confiding than most of the birds on the islands, but were not so shy as 

 their representatives on the mainland. Wild flgs and the small fruit 

 of a tree, probably a species of Psidium, or wild guava, were fiivorite 

 articles of food. Their loud cooing note is uttered at short intervals 

 and is one of tue characteristic .sounds in the forests they frequent. 

 They are essentially arboreal in habits and are rarely seen near the 

 ground. 



