602 U. S, p. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



ZENAIDA, Bon. 



Zenaida, Bonaparte, Geog. & Comp. List, 1838. Type Columha zenaida, Bp. 



Oh.— Bill black ; the culmen about two-fiflha the rest of the head. Tarsi a little shorter than the middle toe and claw, but 

 considerably longer than ti^e lateral toes. Tarsus with broad scutellae anteriorly, those on the lower half bifid, making two 

 hexagonal series. Inner lateral toe a little the longer. Hind toe and claw as long as the inner lateral without claw. Wings 

 lengthened ; second and third quills longest. Tail short, about two-fifths the wings, rounded or a little graduated. Orbits 

 feathered, especially anterior to the eye ; the lids bare. 



But one species of. this genus belongs to our fauna, and this probably is ^ut an occasional 

 visitor. The Zenaida martinicana, of Bonaparte, from Martinique and the Bermudas, may 

 sometimes reach Florida. ^ 



ZENAIDA AMABILIS, B o n a p . 



Zenaida Dove. 



Colvmha zenaida, Bonap. J. A. N. Sc. V, 1825, 30.— Ib. Am. Orn. II, 1828 j pi. xv.— Ib. Syn. 1898, 119.— Wagler, 

 Isis, 1829, 744.— NuTTALL, Man. X, 1832, 625.— Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834,354: V, 558 ; pi. 

 162.— Ib. Syn. 191.— Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 1 ; pi. 281. 

 Zenaida amabUis, Bon. List, 1838. — Ib. Consp. II, 1854, 82. — Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 307. — Reighenbach, Iconea 



Av. "tab. 255." — Gcndlach, Cabanis' Journ. 1856,111. 

 Zenaida aurila, Gray, not Columba aurita, of Lichtenstein, (Z. mamlata,) nor of Temminck, (Z. martinicana,) fids 

 Bonaparte. 

 Sp. Ch. — Wings very long, reaching to the terminal third of the tail. Above reddish olive, variously glossed with gray ; the top 

 of the head and the under parts violet-purplish red, paler on the chin and throat. Inside of wings, and sides of body, blue ; greater 

 wing coverts tinged with the same. Quills dark brown ; the secondaries tipped with white. Inner tail feathers like the back ; 

 the others blue above ; all with a subtorminal bar of black, beyond which the blue is lighter, assuming a whitish tint on the 

 exterior feathers. Wing coverts with concealed spots of black, which are more visible on the tertials ; a spot of the same below 

 the ear. Bill black. Feet yellowish. Length, 10 inches ; wing, 6.00 ; tail, 4.00. 

 Hoi. — Florida Keys. Chiefly on or near Indian Key, and the West Indies. 



The only specimen of this species I have at my command is one from Mr. Audubon's collec- 

 tion, probably procured in Florida. It is more seldom seen now than formerly on the Keys, 

 as a collection of birds from Indian Key did not contain any specimens of it. 



List of specimens. 



MELOPELIA, Bonaparte. 



Melopelia, Bonap. Consp. II, Dec. 1854, 81. Type Colmnha leucoptera, L. 



Ch. — Similar to Zejioido ; the orbital region naked; the bill longer; the middle toe longer; the hinder shorter. Tarsal 

 scutellae in a single series anteriorly. First quill nearly as long as the second and third. 



This genus, like nearly all the North American ones, is represented by but a single species in 

 the United States. 



' Zenaida martinicana, Bon. Conspectus II, 1854, 82. {Columha aurita, Temminck, castanea, Wagler; Zenaida bimaculata, 

 Gray.) Similar to Z. amaUlis, but with the spots on the tertiary quills margined behind with white ; the abdomen and lower 

 tail coverts vinaceous white ; the tips of the outer tail feathers white. 



