('(tM'MBllKK THE I'lUPJUNS. 381 



various kinds of IicitIos, — among otliors, onu liighly poisonous to man, — 

 and mingle MJtli their food particles ol' shells and gravel. Tliey have two 

 broods in a season. 



An'ordinti- to ^Ir. Audulton, tlieir eggs measure l.'J") inches in length by 

 .87 tif an ineli in breadth, and are abru])tly pointed at one end. He states 

 that they propagated readily in tlie aviary ol' tlie Karl of Derby, some being 

 let loose in the hoi)e of introducing them into England. 



This species, known in Jamaica as the Pea Dove, is not, according to 

 March, gregarious, and, although terrestrial in habits, is often .seen and heard 

 on trees, and also roosts there. It ni'sts indiscriminately on the ground or 

 in trees, making a slight ])latform of sticks and twigs, loosely put together. 

 The eggs are two, oval or roundish-oval in shape, and white. They measure 

 from 1.20 to l.o2 indies in length by an inch in breadth. It is a favorite 

 cage-bird, and though ap])arcntly very til.,' 1 and restless, becomes very tame 

 and docile, and will take grain from the haiui or lips t)f its feeder. 



In Santa Cruz it is V'lown as tlie Mountain Dove, and was there found 

 very common by ^Ir. Newton. It ail(irded excellent sjx)rt and was very 

 good eating. It was not only numerous on the liills, but was likewise plen- 

 tiful in all parts of the island suilicieiitly overgrown with brush. Mr. Newton 

 did not find it so terrestrial in its habits as it is stated to be by some writers. 

 Its flight is .said to be remarkably rapid. It breeds from April to the end of 

 July, and is said to build the ordinary I'igeon's nest, — a mere platform of 

 twigs in a bush or tree at any height from a few feet to twenty. It lays two 

 eggs, which, in Santa Cruz, were foiuid by Mr. Newton to be perfectly white, 

 and not of a drab hue, as stated by Mr. (rosse. The young birds ai'c often taken 

 from the nest and brought up without much dilliculty. The cooi.ig of this 

 Dove is stated to much resemble the noise made by sounding a conch-sheU. 



The eggs of the Zenaida Dove are mon; rounded in their shape than tho.se 

 of most of our Pigeons, are white, etiually obtuse at each end, and measure 

 1.30 inches in length by .90 in breadth. 



Genus ZENAIDURA, Boxap. 



Zciiaidiiri), Honap. Cons]). Avium, II, 1854, 84. (Tyiii>, Col umbii enrol ixam.i, L.) 

 ren'.i.iiirn, ('ah. .loiir. fiii'Om. IV, IS.'jt!, 111. (Same tyjw.) 



Gkn'. CiiAU. I$ill weak, black ; oulnu'n from iVontal foathors about ono third the head 

 above. Tarsus not quite as h)nj,' as middle toe and claw, but considerably lonjrer than 

 the lateral ones ; covered anteriorly by a siuirle series of scutella\ Inner lateral claw 

 considerably lonjjer than outer, and re.ichin<r to the base (>!' middle. Winjjs jwinted ; 

 second quill lonp;est; first and third nearly equal. Tail very long, equal to the wings; 

 excessively graduated and cuneati!, of fourteen feathers. 



The fourteen tail-feathers render this genus very conspicuous among the 

 North American doves. It was formerly placed with the Pivssenger- Pigeon 

 in Ectopiatcs, Init has nothing in common with it but the lengthened tail, 



