Vol. XXII 



1005 



G. M. Allen, Summer Birds in the Bahamas. I 23 



geon." — According to Cory, these handsome pigeons are rarely seen in 

 the winter on account of their frequenting the thickly wooded parts of the 

 islands, but "as soon as the summer season sets in they become gregari- 

 ous, and repair in immense flocks to the outer keys to breed .... Incubation 

 commences about May 1." Green Cay, to the south of New Providence, is 

 a famous nesting place. We found one large breeding colony on Moraine 

 Cav, July 12-14, where hundreds of birds must have been nesting. The 

 nests were built in the dense growth of bushes and vines, usually at 

 from 4 to 6 feet from the ground. Many contained the complement of 

 two eggs, others held young squabs, and some had one egg and one 

 young bird- During much of the day many of the birds seemed to 

 be absent and could be observed in the early morning leaving in small 

 flocks for their feeding grounds on neighboring islands, but towards 

 evening they returned, and we obtained a number of the incoming 

 birds for our table. Practically all of a number thus obtained were 

 males, whose crops were filled with small purple berries. At Great 

 Abaco many birds came nightly to roost among certain large isolated 

 clumps of mangroves growing in the shallow waters of the "bight" on 

 the south side of the island. They would fly in at just about sunset, and 

 we were told that later in the season they resorted to these roosts in large 

 numbers. A great many are killed for the local markets by gunners who 

 conceal themselves in these clumps and shoot the incoming birds. Those 

 which we found during the first week of July at these mangroves must 

 have finished breeding. 



30. Zenaida zenaida (Bonap.). Zenaida Dove; "Wood Dove.'' — 

 This dove was apparently uncommon among the islands visited. Two 

 or three individuals were seen at Stranger Cay, July 15-16, and about as 

 many more among the large colony of breeding White-crowned Pigeons 

 at Moraine Cay. All those seen were single birds and were quite tame in 

 contrast to the pigeons, which were very wary. 



31. Columbigalhna passerina bahamensis (Maynard). Bahama 

 Ground Dove: "Tobacco Dove." — On all the islands that had any 

 considerable growth of trees and bushes this little dove was found to be 

 generally distributed. Of the outer cays visited, a few were found on 

 Elbow Cay, Great Guana Cay, Moraine Cay, Stranger Cay, and Great 

 Sale Cay. At Elbow Cay, July 4, 1 came upon one of these birds about 

 noon, sitting on her nest which contained neither eggs nor young. The 

 nest was a loosely made platform of twigs and grass placed in the crotch 

 of a small tree some ten feet from the ground. Clearings and cultivated 

 fields, or the edges of woods are the favorite haunts of these doves, and 

 much of their time is spent feeding on the ground. 



32. Cathartes aura (Linn.). Turkey Vulture. — Buzzards were 

 seen on the larger islands only of the northern group — Great Abaco, 

 Little Abaco, Great Bahama, and Elbow Cay. At Little Abaco they were 

 seen more numerously than elsewhere as they had been attracted by the 

 remains of a recently slaughtered sheep. They appear to be quite absent 



