THE mCA DOVE. 153 



nest was found in a leafless acacia about 6 feet from the ground; another, found 

 May 26, was about 5 feet high, in a small thorn bush; a third was at the height 

 of 8 feet and also placed in a busli; others were placed in small oaks, cacti, 

 opuntias, and in other situations, all above the ground, at heights varying from 

 5 to 8 feet.i 



I first met with this species in February, 1872, and saw others from 

 time to time, but never abundantly. I am sure a few pairs bred within a 

 short distance of my camp near Tucson, but I did not find their nests. The 

 only one I obtained was taken in the valley of the Santa Cruz River, near 

 Tubac, Arizona, on June 6, 1872. It was placed in a thick mesquite bush, 

 about 4 feet from the ground, and contained two fresh eggs. The nest was 

 a slight platform of twigs and grasses about 5 inches in diameter. The 

 female was on the nest. The eggs show a slight creamy tint, due perhaps 

 to not being thoroughly cleaned at the time. A set collected by Colonel 

 Greyson, near Mazatlan, Mexico, are pure white in color. 



This bird is easily distinguished from the Mexican Ground Dove by its 

 much longer tail; its habits are very similar, and it probably raises two 

 broods in a season. 



The eggs, two in number, are scarcely distinguishable from those of the 

 Ground Dove ; they are white in color, and elliptical oval in shape. 



The average measurement of the four specimens in the U. S. National 

 Museum collection is 21 by 16.5 millimetres. The largest egg measures 22 

 by 17.5, the smallest 20 by 16 millimetres. 



The type specimen (No. 20802 PI. 2. Fig. 25), from the Bendire col- 

 lection, was taken by the writer near Tubac, Arizona, June 6, 1872. 



54. Geotrygon martinica (Gmelin). 



KEY WEST QUAIL-DOVE. 



Columba martinica Gmelin, Systema Naturse, i, 11, 1788, 781. 

 Oeotrygon viartinica Bonaparte, Conspectus Avium, 11, December, 1854, 74. 

 (B 454, C 376, R 467, C 550, U 322.) 



Geographical range : Haiti, Cuba, Bahamas, and Florida Keys. 



Within the limits of the United States the breeding range of the Key 

 West Quail -Dove is confined to the island of Key West and the extreme 

 southern Florida Keys; it appears exceedingly rare now in places where 

 Audubon found them fairly abundant. 



Dr. J. Gundlach, in his "Beitrage zur Ornithologie Cuba's" states: "It is 

 not rare. Its general habits resemble those of the Blue-headed Quail-Dove, 

 preferring rocky and wooded regions. I scarcely ever met them outside of the 

 forest. In the densely timbered portions it may be seen scratching among 

 the leaves for food. It likes to perch on horizontal limbs, especially on 

 limbs of the zacsas. 



'History of North Americau Birds, 1874, VoL iii, p. 388. 



