570 



SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — COL UMBJE — PEBISTEB^. 



199. SCARDAPEIi'JJA. (Italian, signalizing the scaly appearance of the feathers, due to their 

 color.) Shell Doves. Tail of peculiar shape, double-rounded, median and lateral feathers 

 both shorter than intermediate ones ; all narrow and tapering ; 12 in number. Wings as in 

 ChameepeUa. Bill very slender, rather long, black. Feet not typically zenaidine ; tarsus very 

 short, slightly feathered above. No blue-black spots on head or wings ; no iridescence on neck. 

 Size very small. Sexes similar. Remarkable genus, of 2 tropical Am. species, one reaching 

 our border. 

 549. g. in'ca. (J«ca or ywcas, a Peruvian title.) Inca Dove. Scaled Dove. $ 9' adult: 

 Above, grayish-brown with the usual olive shade, anteriorly also with a slight "ashes of roses" 

 hue ; below, pale ashy-lilac, changing to ochraceous on the belly and crissum — nearly all the 

 plumage marked with black crescentic edges of the feathers, producing the shelly or scaly 

 appearance. Primaries and bastard quills intense chestnut, vrith blackish ends ; lining of 



200. 



Fig. 393. — Blue-headed Quail 'Dove, J nat. size. {From Brehm.) 



wings black and chestnut; outer secondaries blackish with chestnut central areas, gradually, 

 diminishing till the inner secondaries assimilate with the color of the back. Middle tail- 

 feathers like back ; three lateral ones basally plumbeous, then black, then broadly tipped with 

 white — the black i-unning out into the white as a shaft line. 9 similar to (J ; young similar, 

 but -wiih little or no ashy-rosy, and sprinkled with white on upper parts. Length about 8.00 ; 

 wing 3.75 ; tail more ; bill 0.45 ; tarsus 0.50 ; middle toe and claw 0.87. A very pretty little 

 dove, with mahogany wings upholstered in shell-figured ashes-of- roses velvet; a curious mini- 

 ature of the common dove in form. Mexico to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, along the 

 borders. Nest in bushes; eggs 2, white, 0.90X0.70. 



GEOTBY'GON. (Gr. yea, gea, the earth ; rpvyav, trugon, a cooer.) Lustee Doves. Tail 

 about as long as wings, a, little rounded, of 12 broad rounded feathers, with curved shafts. 



