48 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



as the Carolina Dove, yet they are by no means shy. I have frequently 

 been within twenty-five feet of them, and stood, to be curiously observed 

 by them, for some seconds before they took flight. Though not as shy 

 in the trees as the Red billed Pigeon, yet they do not like one to come 

 near their eggs. When I reachetl Hidalgo, these birds were in pairs, 

 and I was quite surprised on the 1st of May to see a flock of a dozen or 

 so. They were probably males in search of food, while their mates were 

 incubating their eggs, for at that time no young birds were out. I found 

 numbers of their nests situated in all sorts of trees (the mezquite is a 

 favorite tree with them), and in thickets at all heights within from four 

 to ten feet from the ground. They are generally composed of sticks and 

 weeds, with little, sometimes no lining, of leaves or feathers. I have 

 one nest of Spanish moss. The complement of eggs is two. They are 

 oblong-oval, and of a creamy-white ; occasionally a set will be very dark 

 cream, or one again will be pure white. Of thirty eggs, the largest is 

 1.30 by 0.92, and the smallest 1.10 by 0.90, although there is one nar- 

 rower, it being 1.20 by 0.86. The average size is 1.20 by 0.89. 



225— <?— 12.00 X 19.25 x 6.25 X 4.25. Apr. 18, Hidalgo. 



227— $ —12.25 X 20.00 x 6.50 x 4.40. Apr. 18, Hidalgo. 



228— <?'— 12.00 X 19.00 x 6.40 x 4.40. Apr. 18, Hidalgo. 

 258— <? —12.25 X 20.00 x 6..50 x 4.50. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 

 259—^—12.10 X 20.00 x 6.60 x 4.50. Apr. 20, Hidalgo. 

 268— 5 —11.75 X 20.50 x 6.60 x 4.25. Apr. 24, Hidalgo. 

 310— ^ —12.00 X 19.75 x 6.25 x 4.50. Apr. 30, Hidalgo. 

 335— $ —11.50 X 19.50 x 6.00 x 4.00. May 2, Hidalgo. 



Cham^pelia passerina, (L.) Sw. — Ground Dove. 



In the vicinity of Brownsville, I saw a few small flocks, but not where 

 I could obtain any. At Hidalgo, I saw them occasionally in pairs, and 

 they breed all along the Lower Eio Grande, but I did not collect any 

 of their eggs. The officers at camp near Hidalgo said they came in the 

 mornings to the river, near by, to drink with other Pigeons. I am in- 

 debted to Dr. Merrill for a set of two eggs, taken near Brownsville. 

 They are oval, pure white, and measure 0.87 by 0.63 and 0.88 by 0.65. 



244—5—6.75x10.85x3.50x2.25. Apr. 19, Hidalgo. 

 384—^—7.00x11.50x3.40x2.50. May 7, Hidalgo. 

 385— 5 —7.00 X 11.50 x 3.40 x 2.40. May 7, Hidalgo. 



[Genus ^CHMOPTILA, Goues. 



Peristera, of some authors. x 



Leptoptila, Swainson, Class. B. ii. 1837, 349 (misspelled " Leptotila"). (Not Leptoptilos 

 Lesson, Tr. Orn. 1831, 585, nor Leptoptilus Strickl. 1841, nor Leptoptila Gloger, 

 1842.)— Bp. Consp. Av. ii. 18^4, 74.— Gray, Handl. ii. 1870, 242, n. 2319 {"Lepto- 

 tila"). 



Ch. — First primary abruptly emarginate, attenuate and linear near the end. Wings 

 of moderate length : 3d and 4th primaries longest ; first shorter than 7th. Tail much 

 shorter than the wings, rounded, of 12 broad feathers. Tarsus entirely naked, equal- 

 ling or rather exceeding the middle toe and claw. Lateral toes nearly equal, the ends 

 of their claws reaching about opposite the base of the middle claw. Hind too shortest 

 of ali, but perfectly incumbent. Bill small and slender, much shorter than tl.e head. 



