284 PIGEONS AND DOVES 



lanes to dust themselves. The sweet, sad call of the male has won for 

 this species its common name; it consists of several soft coos, which 

 may be written: Coo-o-o, ah-coo-o-o coo-o-o coo-o-o. Under favor- 

 able circumstances these notes may be heard at a distance of at least 

 two hundred and fifty yards; they are uttered slowly and tenderly, 

 and with such apparent depth of feeling that one might easily imagine 

 the bird was mourning the loss of his mate, instead of singing a love- 

 song to her. 



At this season one or both birds may be seen performing a peculiar 

 aerial evolution. Ascending to a height of about thirty feet, they fly 

 for some distance in an unnatural manner, and then, after a short sail, 

 return to their perch. When engaged in this performance they very 

 closely resemble a Sharp-shinned Hawk. 



After the nesting season Doves gather in flocks of varying size and 

 frequent grain and cornfields. During the day they visit the near- 

 est supply of fine gravel, which they eat in large quantities as an aid 

 to digestion. In some localities, soon after sunset, they regularly repair 

 in numbers to some favorite place to drink, and then retire to their 

 roosts. 



317. Zenaida zenaida (Bonap.). ZENAIDA DOVE. Ad. Bears a 

 general resemblance to Zenaidura macroura, but the tail is square and tipped 

 with ashy, and the underparts are deep, rich vinaceous. L., 10*00; W., 6'10; 

 T., 3'50; B., '66. 



Range. Florida Keys, West Indies, and coast of Yucatan. 



Nest, on or near the ground. Eggs, 2, glossy white, 1*22 x "92. Date, 

 Bahamas, May 27. 



This is a common West Indian species. Audubon found it in num- 

 bers in the keys off southern Florida, where he records it as a sum- 

 mer resident, arriving in April and departing in October. The few 

 naturalists who have visited these keys since Audubon's time have 

 not been there in the summer, and we do not therefore know whether 

 this species still occurs there at that season. It is more terrestrial in 

 habits than the Mourning Dove, and its notes are deeper, louder, and 

 more solemn than the notes of that species. 



The WHITE-WINGED DOVE (31 9. Melopelia asiatica asiatica} is of gen- 

 eral distribution from the Mexican border of the United States south to Costa 

 Rica, and it has been recorded from Cuba, Jamaica, and San Domingo. It is 

 of accidental occurrence at Key West and Kissimmee, Florida (Ridgway, 

 Auk, 1897, 88). It may be known by the broad white margins to the wing- 

 coverts, giving the appearance of a white wing-patch, which is conspicuous 

 in life. 



320. Chsemepelia passerina terrestris (Chapm.). GROUND DOVE. 

 Ad.tf. Forehead and underparts vinaceous, centers of breast-feathers 

 blackish; top and back of head bluish slate-color; back brownish gray; tail 

 blackish, the outer feathers with small white tips; base of bill coral-red, tip 

 black. Ad. 9. Similar, but forehead and underparts pale brownish gray. 

 Im. Resembles 9, but the feathers are tipped with whitish. L., 6*75; W., 

 3'60; T., 2'50; B., '50. 



