COLUMBULA PICUI. 143 



bill black ; feet yellow : whole length 7'0 inches, wing 4-5, tail 2-5. Female 

 similar. 



Hab. Peru, Bolivia, and N.W. Argentina. 



Dr. Leybold's collector obtained examples of this Dove in 1863, at 

 Los Paramillos, a rocky district near Uspallata, on the Argentine slope 

 of the Chilian Andes. Some of these specimens are in the collection 

 of Messrs. Salvin and Godman. 



The species is easily recognizable by the bright golden wing-spots. 



362. COLUMBULA PICUI (Temm.). 

 (PICUI DOVE.) 



Columbula picui, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 496 (Mendoza, Parana, Tucu- 

 man); Scl et Salv. Nomencl. p. 133; iid. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 143 (Buenos 

 Ayres); Durnford, Ibis, ]877, p. 193 (Buenos Ayres); Gibson, Ibis, 1880, 

 p. 7 (Buenos Ayres) ; Barrows, Auk, 1884, p. 275 (Entrerios). 



Description. Above brownish cinereous : head and neck plumbeous ; wing- 

 feathers black ; coverts and outer secondaries like the back, but bordered with 

 white on their outer edges, and with a band of bright blue across the tips of the 

 lesser coverts ; tail white, middle rectrices like the back, lateral rectrices more 

 or less bordered with cinereous on the outer web, except the outer pair, which 

 are pure white : beneath pale vinaceous ; throat, lower belly, and crissum 

 white ; under wing-coverts black ; bill black ; feet yellow : whole length 6-5 

 inches, wing 3'5, tail 2-0. Female similar, but duller ; above nearly uniform 

 brown. 



Hab. Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chili. 



This species, the smallest of our Doves, is common everywhere in the 

 Plata district, where it is called Tortolita (Little Turtle-Dove), Azara's 

 name Picui not being known to our countrymen. 



It is usually seen with its mate, for many individuals seem to pair for 

 life ; but sometimes a dozen or twenty individuals unite in one flock. It 

 is resident, comes a great deal about houses, and is familiar with man, 

 and lively in its habits. It sings a great deal in summer, and even on 

 warm days in winter; but its tones are wanting in the wild pathos which 

 gives a charm to the melody of some of our larger species, the song 

 consisting of a succession of long, rather loud, and somewhat monoto- 

 nous notes, pleasant to hear, like most bird-music, but nothing more. 



The nest is the usual slight structure of sticks ; the eggs two, oval, 

 and white. They breed twice, and sometimes three times, in one season, 

 the last brood being hatched as late as April or even May. 



