ZENAIDA.— MELOPELIA. 245 



1. Zenaida yucataneusis. 



Zenaida yucatanemis, Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxi. p 384 \ 



Zenaida amabilis (nee Bp.), Boucard, P. Z. S. 1883, p. 458 ' ; Salv. Ibis, 1889, p. 377 '. 



Supra terricolor, tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus, majoribus intimis et scapularibus nigro oblonge 

 maculatis ; dorsi imi lateribus conspicue cinereis ; rectricibus medianis brunneis, fascia subapicali 

 nigra, reliquis scMsfcaceis, pulchre cinereo late terminatie, nigro subtermroaliter transfasciatis, rectrice 

 extima extus cinerea; ala spuria, tectricibus primariorum remigibusque nigricantibus, his anguste 

 albido limbatis, seeundariis late albo terminatis, fasciam alarem exhibentibus ; pileo dorso concolore, fronte 

 vix pallidiore, collo postieo et coUi lateribus metallioe violaceo et chalybeo nitentibus ; facie laterali, 

 gutture et coUo antico terricoloribus, his cineraceo lavatis; meuto albo; fascia auriculari metallice 

 purpurea; corpore reliquo subtus vinaceo, lateribus cum subalaribus axiUaribusque pulchre cinereis. 

 Long, tota circa 10-0, alae 6-3, caudse 3-2, culm. 0-9, tarsi 0-9. (Descr. maris adulti ex Cozumel I. 

 ilns. nostr.) 



? mari similis, sed coloribus pauUo dilutioribus, gastraei colore vinaceo pallidiore, gutture et pectore summo 

 grisescenti-brunneo lavatis. Long, tota circa 9-5, alas 6-2. (Descr. femin^ adult® ex Jolbox.I. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



Hah. Mexico, coast of Yucatan, Eio Lagartos ^^, Progreso 2, Cozumel 1. 1, Jolbox I, ^^, 

 Mugeres I. ^^ {^Gaumer). 



The difference between Z. yucataneusis and Z. amabilis of the Greater Antilles has 

 been pointed out by Count Salvador!. In the former the upper parts are of a greyish 

 tint, not inclining to reddish-brown as in the latter ; and as this colour is common to 

 the large series of the Yucatan birds in our collection, we consider the race worthy 

 of recognition. 



We have no notes on the habits of this Dove, but its ally, Z. amabilis, is of a solitary 

 nature, passing much of its time on the ground. In the Bahamas it feeds on seeds, 

 and builds either in rocks or trees, while in Florida the nests are sometimes placed 

 upon the ground. 



MELOPELIA. 



Melopelia, Bp. CoQsp. Av. ii. p. 81 (1854) ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxi. p. 391 (1893). 



Melopelia differs from Zenaida and the allied genera in having no black spots on 

 the scapulars, and the white alar band is also a distinguishing feature. As in Zenaida, 

 the tail is rounded and has only twelve rectrices ; it is, however, longer, being three- 

 fourths the length of the wing, whereas in Zenaida the tail is barely two-thirds 

 {Ridgway). Count Salvador! also observes that the first two primaries are slightly 

 scooped towards the apical third of the inner web. 



Only one species is known, of which we give a description below. 



1. Melopelia lencoptera. 



Qolumba leucoptera, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 281 '. 



Zenaida leucoptera, Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 309 ' ; 1858, p. 305 ' ; 1859, p. 368' ; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 



1859, p. 223 ' ; Taylor, Ibis, 1860, p. 227'. 

 Melopelia leucoptera, Bp. Consp. Av. ii. p. 81 ' ; Moore, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 61 ' j Scl. P. Z. S. 1864, 



p. 178' ; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. pp. 139 ", 207 " ; Mem. Best. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 305 "; 



Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 44"; Frantz. J. £. Orn. 1869, p. 372"; Duges, La Nat. 



