COLUMBA. 235 



Tapanatepec (Sumickrast^^'^), Teotalcingo, Oaxaca (Boucard^), Buctzotz, 

 N. Yucatan (Gaumer^^), Tunkas (Stone & Baker '^% Chichen-Itza {Chapman^''); 

 Guatemala, Escuintla {Fraser ^% Retalhuleu [Richardson ^^), Volcan de Fuego, 

 Zapote {0. S. is) ; Honduras, Tigre I. (Taylor^) ; Salvadoe, Volcan de San Miguel 

 {Richardson^^) ; Nicaragua, Ometepe I., Lake of Nicaragua {NuUing^% La 

 Libertad in Chontales {Richardson ^^) ; Costa Rica {Frantzius 22, Carmiol ^^), Dota, 

 Cartago, Turrialba, El Zarcero de Alajuela (Zeledon i3 is), Barranca [Carmiol^^), 

 Laguna de Coris, Tambor, Cuadros de Irazu, Tres Eios, Sarchi, Candelaria 

 {Underwood, in litt.). 



The Eed-billed Pigeon is a summer visitor to Southern Texas, where it breeds 

 abundantly in the valley of the B,io Grande ^^ : it has been observed fi:om the end of 

 January till late in November, and some birds probably remain throughout the year. 

 Specimens obtained at Graham Mountain, in Southern Arizona, in July, a locality 

 about ninety miles distant from the Mexican border, indicate that the species nests 

 there also. C. flavirostris is found all over Mexico, and probably breeds throughout 

 its Central-American range. 



Sumichrast speaks of it as always perching on the highest trees, and Grayson says 

 that he found specimens at Mazatlan, on the western slopes of the Sierra Madre, feeding 

 upon acorns, which are abundant at certain seasons. 



C. Jlavirostris chiefly inhabits forest-districts, but sometimes nests in the vicinity of 

 habitations, and even consorts with tame Pigeons, as observed by Dr. Finley, near 

 Hidalgo, in Texas ^^. The nest is, according to Mr. Sennett, rather difl"erently placed 

 to that of most Pigeons, being built on a large branch close to the trunk of the tree, 

 and composed of sticks and grasses ^5. Other observers, quoted by Bendire ^^ in his 

 ' Life-Histories,' describe the nest as a frail structure of sticks, similar to that of most 

 Pigeons. Only one egg is laid, but the birds are said to breed several times in a 

 season, and to be very assiduous and devoted parents, both male and female taking 

 their share in the duties of incubation. The call-note is a particularly loud coo ^^. 



4i. Columba madrensis. 



Columba flavirostris (nee Wagler), Grayson, P. Bost. Soc. N. H. xiv. p. 274^ ; Lawr. Mem. Bost. 



Soc. N. H. ii. p. 304" ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxi. p. 285 (pt.) '. 

 Cdumba flavirostris madrensis, Nelson, Pr. Biol. Soc. Washington, xii. p. 6 * ; N. Amer. Fauna, 



no. 14, p. 35 \ 

 Columba madrensis, Sharpe, Hand-list of Birds, i. p. 70 '. 



C.flavirostri similis, sed marginibus tectrieum alarum albis paullo latioiibus distinguenda. Long, tota circa 



12-5, alee 8-1, eaudse 4-75, culm. 1-1, tarsi 1-05. 

 9 mari similis. Long, tota circa 12-5, alae 8"0. (Descr. maris et feminK ex Insulis Tres Marias dictis. 



Mas. nostr.) 



Eab. W. Mexico, Tres Marias Is. {Grayson'^ \ Forrer^, Nelson^). 



Mr. Nelson was the first to point out the differences of the Eed-billed Pigeon of 



30* 



