THE WHITE-FRONTED DOVE. 145 



others that were brought in with a lot of White-whaged Dove's eggs. The 

 nest was situated in the forks of a bush about 5 feet from the ground, was 

 flat and quite hu'ge for a Pigeon's nest, and composed of the dead branches, 

 twigs, and bark of pithy weeds. 



Dr. J. C. Merrill, assistant surgeon U. S. Army, while stationed at Fort 

 Brown, Texas, met with this Pigeon there. He says: "It is not rare in the 

 vicinity of Fort Brown, but is shy and not often seen. The only nest I have 

 found was taken June 8, 1878, on the Government reservation. It was about 

 7 feet from the ground, supported by the dense interlacing tendrils of a hang- 

 ing vine growing on the edge of a thicket." ^ 



Mr. William Lloyd writes me that this Pigeon breeds abundantly in the 

 Sierra Madi-e, from southern Chihuahua to Beltran, Jalisco, Mexico, at an alti- 

 tude of from 1,100 to 2,200 feet. The nests, usually placed in thorny shrubs. 

 Huisache, Acacia farnesiana 10 to 12 feet from the ground, are substantially 

 made of straw. He found eggs as early as May 10, and up to June 13, when 

 they were much incubated. It frequents deep arroyas mostly during the 

 breeding season. They are only summer residents in northern Mexico, migrate 

 in pairs, and feed principally on fruits. The eggs of this species are elliptical 

 oval in shape ; their color is cream-buff, and the shell is smooth and glossy. 



The only specimens in the U. S. National Museum collection, are the 

 two taken by Dr. James C. Merrill, U. S. Army, near Fort Brown, Texas, 

 on June 8, 1878, referred to previously. These measure 31 by 23, and 30 

 by 22.5 millimetres. One of these, No. 20830, is figured on PI. 2, Fig. 22. 



50. Melopelia leucoptera (Linn^us). 



WHITE-WINGED DOVE. 



Columba leucoptera Linnaeus, Systema Naturse, ed. 10, i, 1758, 164. 

 Melopelia leucoptera Bonaparte, Conspectus Avium, 11, December, 1854, 81. 

 (B 450, C 373, R 464, C 546, U 319.) 



Geographical range : Mexico, south to Costa Rica; north to southern border of 

 United States (Florida and Texas to Arizona) ; Lower California, Cuba, Jamaica. 



Within the borders of the United States the breeding range of the 

 White-winged Dove is confined to the southwestern parts of our domain, 

 including Arizona and New Mexico, as well as western and southwesteni 

 Texas, as far as known at present. Stragglers have also been observed in 

 southern Colorado and at Key West, Florida, and it probably occurs at 

 other points of the Gulf coast, and may possibly breed there also. It is 

 one of the most common birds in Southern Arizona, and found there at alti- 

 tudes up to about 4,000 feet, seldom higher. 



According to my observations, it is equally as abundant in the foothills 

 of the mountains as in the lower and hot valleys of the San Pedro, the Santa 

 Cruz, the Gila, Verde, and Salt Rivers. It is partial to certain localities, 



' Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. i, 1878, p. 158. 

 26957— Bull. 1 10 



