LEPTOPTILA. 250 



In Guatemala it is a resident species, and was very abundant at Dueiias in 1861. 



L. Irachyptera is a somewhat shy ground-bird, frequenting the forests. Its food 

 consists of seeds and fruit. Both sexes share in the duties of incubation ; the nest is 

 said by Grayson to be placed upon the ground, whereas Mr. Lloyd states that it is 

 rather a substantial structure made of straw and placed in thorny shrubs at a height 

 of from ten to twelve feet. As Grayson was also writing about the bird of the Trcs 

 Marias, as well as that of Mazatlan, his notes on the nesting may refer to the island- 

 form. The eggs are two in number, creamy-buff in colour, with a smooth and glossy 

 shell 24. 



2. Leptoptila fulviventris, 



Leptoptila brachyptera (nee Gray), Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxi, p. 545 (part.)'. 



Leptoptila albifrons (nee Bp.), Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 207'; Sanchez, An. Mus. Nac. 



Mex. i. p. 105 (part.) =; Boucard, P. Z. S. 1883, p. 459*. 

 Leptoptila fulviventris, Lawr. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. ii. p. 287 ^ 

 Engyptila fulviventris, Lawr. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sei. iii. p. 271 °. 



, L. brachypterce sitnilis, sed abdomine et subcaudalibus ochrascenti-fulvis ; hypocbondriis quoque ochraoeis, 

 fronte vinaceo distinguenda ; pedibus rubris ; iride flava. Long, tota circa 10'6, ala3 5-5, caudse 3-4, 

 culm. 0'8, tarsi 1-1. (Desor. feminae ex Tieimin, Yucatan. Mus. nostr.) 



Ilab. Mexico, Buctzotz, Izamal, Tizimin, Yucatan (Gaumer ^*), Merida [Scliott^). 



Although the characters for the separation of L. fulviventris are very slight, they 

 appear to be constant, and we are therefore induced to regard the Yucatan bird as 

 a distinct race of L. brachyptera. As Count Salvador! points out, however, the 

 vinaceous forehead, which is one of the characters of L. fulviventris, is approached 

 by s[)ecimens from other parts of Central America ; but the ochraceous flanks are 

 certainly difierent from the dark brown ones of L. brachyptera. We find, too, that 

 the-Tres Marias bird is more ochraceous than those from the Mexican mainland, but, 

 as in other American Ground-Doves, the colour seems to vary in intensity, and some 

 specimens are much paler than others. 



It is probably to this Pigeon that Gaumer refers * when he says that it is common 

 in all parts of Yucatan, building its nest on the drooping branch of a tree. The flight, 

 though usually noiseless, is sometimes accompanied by a whistling sound. 



3. Leptoptila capitalis. 



Leptoptila albifrons, Grayson, Pr. Bost. Sec. N. H. xiv. p. 274'; Lawr. Mem. Best. Soe. N. H. ii. 



p. 305 (part.) \ 

 Leptoptila brachyptera (part.), Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxi. p. 545 \ 

 Leptoptila capitalis, Nelson, Pr. Biol. Soc. Washington, xii. p. 6*; N. Araer. Faun. no. 14, 



p. 36'. 

 L. brachypterce similis, sed pallidior et rostro crassiore distingueuda. Long, tota circa 11-0, alae 6-1, 

 caudse 3-95, culm. I'O, tarsi 1-35, 



33* 



