354 Riley, Birds of Bahama Islands. Xcfx 



All the birds taken seem to be paler and smaller than specimens from 

 the eastern United States, but are nearer wilsonitts than rufinuchus of the 

 West Indies. 



29. Haematopus palliatus Temminck. American Oyster-catcher. 

 — Two were seen standing on the rocks and one was taken on Long Island, 

 July 17. Mr. Derickson saw three or four additional specimens near the 

 same place but was unable to secure any. 



The characters assigned to frattii do not appear to be constant and 

 hardly seem to warrant separation. I say this after comparing three 

 specimens from the Bahamas with a series of palliatus from various 

 localities. Bill and ring around eye bright orange ; irides gamboge, shot 

 with brown. 



30. Columba leucocephala Linn. White-crowned Pigeon. — A female 

 taken on New Providence, where they were not common, June 23, had an 

 egg in the oviduct ready to be deposited. Thousands were seen flying, 

 late in the evening, from Andros towards Green Cay, where there was a 

 large breeding colony. Small flocks and single birds were seen on Eleu- 

 thera, Cat Island, Watlings, and Long Island. A nest was found on 

 Abaco, July 22, about fifty feet up in a pine. It contained young, I judged, 

 from the actions of the parents. Irides buff. 



31. Zenaidura macroura (Linn.). Mourning Dove. — A male, appar- 

 ently not different from birds from the eastern United States, was shot 

 on Long Island, July 16. 



32. Zenaida zenaida (Bonap.). Zenaida Dove. — This dove was seen 

 on New Providence, Eleuthera, Cat Island, Watlings, and Long Island. 

 They were generally seen singly, flying back and forth, and on no island 

 in any numbers. Dr. Coker showed me a nest, containing two young 

 with the feathers just sprouting, on Long Island, July 17. The nest was 

 quite an elaborate affair for a dove, composed of small twigs and placed 

 in a small cavern of the rough coral rock of the beach. 



33. Columbigallina passerina bahamensis (Maynard). — Bahama 

 Ground Dove. — This well-marked form of Ground Dove was abundant 

 in clearings or along the roads on New Providence, Eleuthera, Cat Island, 

 Watlings, and Long Island, but not very common on Abaco where we 

 landed. Bill (in life) black, except at base of lower mandible where it is 

 reddish. 



34. Cathartes aura (Linn.). Turkey Vulture. — Quite a number 

 were seen on Andros, where they appear to be not uncommon. 



35. Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi (Maynard). Bahama Osprey. — 

 Several of this doubtful form of osprey were seen on Long Island and 

 one was shot by Mr. Derickson, but not recovered. 



36. Speotyto cunicularia cavicola Bangs. Nassau Burrowing Owl. 

 — A male shot on New Providence, June 19, was sent to me in the flesh 

 by Mr. C. Hamilton Burnside. 



This specimen when compared with S. c. jloridana is apparently of a 

 more reddish cast with larger and whiter spotting, and the spots on the 



