Pigeons and Doves 421 



larger bill and generally paler colors. It frequents the wooded sides of canons, 

 usually some distance back from the coast, where it keeps much to the higher 

 branches. 



White-crowned Pigeon. The remaining form entering the United States 

 is the White-crowned Pigeon (C. leucocephala), which reaches the Florida Keys 

 but is mainly distributed over the Greater Antilles, Bahamas, and the coast of 

 Central America. It is between twelve and fourteen inches in length and may 

 be known by having the general plumage lead-color with the entire top of the 

 head white or pale grayish buffy, while the hind neck has a "cape" of metallic 

 bronzy green or purplish, each feather bordered with velvety black. It is a shy 

 bird, frequenting the smaller Keys, where it feeds on berries and fruits, and builds 

 its nest in communities, often of large size, placing them on the mangroves or 

 the prickly pears. The nests are fairly well made and the eggs apparently 

 always two in number; several broods are reared each season. 



Other Species. Of the fifteen or more forms of this genus found in the 

 West Indies and Central and South America, we shall have space to mention 

 but few. Thus the Scaled Pigeon (C. squamosa), found in the Greater and 

 Lesser Antilles, is about sixteen inches long and has a "cape" on the hind neck 

 of metallic violet, with the head, neck, and crop region a rich vinous and the 

 remainder of the plumage dark plumbeous. It is abundant in Porto Rico, and 

 the late Mr. Wells reports it as the finest game bird found on Grenada, its flesh 

 being considered a great delicacy. It is there strictly arboreal, mainly frequent- 

 ing the highest mountain ridges, but resorting to the seacoast and islets about 

 the month of April, for purposes of rearing its young. The nest is often placed 

 in a tuft of grass and also on the outspreading branches of the mangrove and 

 seaside grape, and is made of a few sticks and shaped by the body of the bird. 

 Other Antillean species are the Ring-tailed Pigeon (C. cariboo) of Jamaica and 

 the Blue Pigeon (C. inornata) of wider range. The Picazura Pigeon (C. picazuro), 

 which ranges from Brazil to Paraguay and Argentina, is pale brown, the head and 

 neck as well as the lower parts vinous, the hind neck banded with white. Mr. 

 Hudson speaks of the Picazura as a common summer bird in Argentina, frequent- 

 ing the woods in pairs or small parties, but in winter congregating in large flocks 

 and roaming much over the open country. It is a wary bird, and when feeding 

 walks over the ground in a slow and stately manner. Its notes are described as 

 five in number, "the last one with a falling inflection, and profoundly sorrowful." 

 Another species ranging from Peru and Bolivia through western Argentina and 

 Patagonia is the Spot- wing Pigeon (C. maculosa), which may be known by the 

 profuse apical spots of white on the back and wings. They are extremely active 

 birds, visiting the grain fields in immense flocks and often doing much damage 

 to the sprouting wheat. 



Rock Dove. Of the Old World species one of the most important is the 

 Blue Rock Pigeon, or Rock Dove (C. livia), the wild form of the domestic Pigeon, 

 which ranges from Europe through the Mediterranean countries to central Asia 

 and China. About eleven inches long, the general plumage is gray, with the 

 lower back white and the neck metallic green changing into purple on the lower 



