436 'The Plover-like Birds 



it is silent and when disturbed flies for only short distances. The nest is the 

 usual rude platform of sticks placed on the horizontal branches of a tree or in 

 dense creepers near the ground. The other species of the genus are more locally 

 distributed throughout the African continent and on the islands off the west coast. 



Among the genera with attenuated primaries the genus Leptoptila is distin- 

 guished by having the tail more than half the length of the wing. It embraces 

 about twenty-five forms and ranges from the Rio Grande Valley in southern 

 Texas through Mexico and Central America to Peru and Argentina, the only 

 United States form being the White-fronted Dove (L. fulviventris brachyptera), 

 which is distributed from Guatemala and Mexico to Texas. This bird is about 

 twelve inches long, olive-brownish above glossed with metallic reddish purple 

 reflections on the sides and back of the neck, while the top of the head is bluish 

 gray, the forehead creamy white, and the under parts pale vinaceous, becoming 

 pure white on the chin, abdomen, and under tail-coverts. This species was 

 first found within our limits near Hidalgo, Texas, by Mr. George B. Sennett, 

 who remarks that it arrived from the south about the middle of February and 

 returned in November. It is very retiring in its habits, frequenting the dense 

 and heavy timber, and if it were not for its peculiar note a short, soft coo 

 it would be seldom noticed. The nest, usually placed in a thorny shrub or low 

 tree, is only a few feet from the ground and contains the usual two eggs. The 

 only other species that we will take the space to mention is the so-called Solitary 

 Pigeon (L. chlorauchenia) of southern Brazil and Argentina, which is grayish 

 brown above, the feathers of the hind neck being edged with iridescent bronzy 

 green and mostly white below; it is but ten inches in length. In Argentina, 

 Hudson states, it inhabits the wood, especially of the Plata district, and never 

 seeks the open country to feed. It is solitary, although where many birds live 

 in close proximity three or four may sometimes be seen in company. It spends 

 a great deal of time on the ground, where it walks about under the trees rather 

 briskly, searching for seeds and berries. Where the birds are abundant the 

 wood just before sunset becomes vocal with their curious, far-sounding notes. 



Passing over the genus Osculatia, the two species of which are found in 

 Ecuador, we come to the Quail-Doves (Geotrygon), of which there are some 

 eighteen forms, all American, ranging from the Florida Keys through Mexico 

 to Bolivia and Paraguay. They are mainly uniform chestnut above, with the 

 back, and sometimes other portions, with more or less of a metallic gloss, while 

 the lower parts are white or buffy, becoming brownish or vinaceous on the chest; 

 the tail is short and composed of twelve feathers. The Key West Quail-Dove 

 (G. chrysia) occurs on most of the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas, and was 

 at one time quite abundant on the island of Key West and the extreme southern 

 Florida Keys, but it is now apparently rare there. It is found in the densely 

 timbered portions, where it may be seen scratching among the leaves for its 

 food of fallen fruit. It is not uncommon in some parts of Cuba, though it is 

 difficult to observe. The closely related Ruddy Quail-Dove (G. montana) is 

 found throughout tropical America in general, and a single example has been 

 taken at Key West, Florida. 



