COLUMBINA. 43 



Nest. " Small and flat, iisimllv placed on a low shrub or stump of 

 atree" (C. ^-1. Lloi/d). "Placed in solitary bushes^' {Schomhurgk) . 



-Eggs. "Two in number and pearly white in colour^' (C. A. 

 Lloyd). 



Range in British Guiana. Abary River, Upper Takutu Moun- 

 tains, Great Falls, T)i)Vi\QTiivvi'K\ye,v (AlcConnell collection)', Quonga, 

 Axmai {^]\ Idtehj) ; Georgetown (QuelcJt). 



ExtraJimital Range. Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador. 



Hahits. Schomburgk remarks (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 743) that 

 he found this beautiful Ground-Dove in large numbers, more 

 commonly near the coast in open places where there are no woods, 

 especially on lawns in plantations where it procured its food. It 

 is rather shy and flies at the slightest noise to the nearest bushes. 

 Although shy it does not avoid human dwellings. It lives in 

 pairs during the breeding-season and the nest is placed in solitary 

 bushes. 



Mr. 0. A. Lloyd (Timebri (2) xi. p. 3) writes :— " This pretty 

 little Ground-Dove, Chamcppelia passerina, deserves mention for 

 the peculiar habit it has of: pretending to be wounded when it 

 thinks its nest in danger of being robbed. The nest, which is 

 small and flat, is usually placed on a low shrub or stump of a tree, 

 and never contains more than two pearly white eggs. Should 

 anyone approach it, while the little bird is sitting on her charge, 

 she immediately flutters to the ground and toddles along with an 

 unsteady gait, at the same time drooping one of her wings as if 

 broken. This feint is evidently intended to distract ihc attention 

 o£ any would-be enemy. The food of this dove consists chiefly 

 o£ small seeds which it picks from low weeds on the ground. In 

 the islands the seed of the Mexican poppy, Argemone mexicana, 

 and the pink fruit of the ' Turk's head ' or globe cactus, Melo- 

 cactas communis, make up its princi])al fare.'^ 



Mr. J. J. Qiielch observed the si)ecies at Georgetown. 



2(;. Columbina grisea. 



GkKY GuoUN I )-])() vk. 



Columhina f/riaco (Bonn.), Knc. Metli. Oniilli. i. p. li")'J. ]7i)l (Cayoiuic) ; 



Jira1)oariie & Chubl), 11 S. Anicr. i. ]>. IS, n... ITO, IDTi. 

 ('hiniuriit'lui (/rixfola (wvr. Sjiix), Salviu, lliis, ISMI. p. 1 7-> ( Vui'u.-ini 



River, J{Mniini:i, WoOO ft.); Cinrlcli, 'I'iiiuliii (L'j v. p. loC, ls:i| 



(( Ii-<ir<^ct<)WM). 

 ('hmiKi'iirliit inliinla (iii-c Liim.), S;d\;iil. Cut. I!. I!i-i1. M us. .\\i. p. |sl. 



1S'.»;{ ((^iiuiiixii. Aiiniii ). 



