138 PIGEONS 



The chachalaca comes into the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas, 

 but probably does not range more than fifty miles north of the 

 Mexican line. It keeps within the mesquite and chaparral, where 

 it calls from the treetops at sunrise and sunset, pronouncing its 

 local name, cJiachalac, in loud tones. Dr. Merrill says that it is 

 much hunted for the Brownsville market. 



ORDER COLUMB^E: PIGEONS. 

 FAMILY COLUMBID-S! : PIGEONS. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



1. Tarsus shorter than side toes. 



2. Tail slightly rounded, feathers broad at tips . Columba, p. 138. 

 2'. Tail graduated, feathers narrow and pointed at tips. 



Ectopistes, p. 140. 

 1'. Tarsus longer than side toes. 

 2. Wing less than 4. 



3. Tail equal to or longer than wing, narrowing to a point. 



Scardafella, p. 143. 



3'. Tail shorter than wing, wide at end . Columbigallina, p. 143. 

 2'. Wing more than 5. 



3. Tip of outer quill abruptly narrowed . . . Leptotila, p. 141. 

 3'. Tip of outer quill not abruptly narrowed. 



4. Tail feathers 12, tail rounded Melopelia, p. 142. 



4'. Tail feathers 14, tail graduated .... Zenaidura, p. 140. 



GENUS COLTJMBA. 



General Characters. Tail much shorter than wing, slightly rounded, 

 the feathers broad and rounded or nearly square at tip ; wings pointed ; 

 side toes of about equal length. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Tail banded fasciata, p. 138. 



1'. Tail uniform slaty black flavirostris, p. 140. 



312. Columba fasciata Say. BAND-TAILED PIGEON. 



Adult male. End of tail with broad two inch band, pale gray, bor- 

 dered above by black ; back of neck 

 with white collar adjoined by iridescent 

 bronzy patch spreading back as a 

 greenish wash ; head and under parts 

 purplish pink, fading to whitish on 

 belly ; fore part of back tinged with 

 brownish, hinder part bluish gray ; wing quills blackish, coverts bluish 

 gray, faintly edged with white. Adult female : like male but duller and 

 much grayer ; white nuchal band often obsolete, iridescent patch restricted, 

 head grayish instead of pink, under parts largely grayish. Young : with- 

 out white on nape, under parts dull grayish, tinged with brown on breast ; 

 upper parts with feathers more or less lightly bordered with paler ; head 

 and neck dull bluish gray in male, light grayish brown in female. Length ' 

 15-16, wing 8.00-8.80, tail 6.00-6.50. 



