308 BULLETIN' 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Genus PATAGICENAS Reiehenbaeh. 



Patagioenas Eeichenbach, Av. Syst. Nat., 1852, p. xxv. (Type, Columba 



leueocephala Linnaeus.) 

 Patagioenas (emendation) Bonaparte, Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool., (2), i, 1854, 140. 

 Patagoenas (emendation) Heine, Nom. Mus. Hein. Orn., 1890, 276. 



Rather large arboreal Pigeons (length about 300-400 mm.), 

 similar to Chlomnas, but tail nearly if not quite truncated, with 

 rectrices broader and more rigid, nasal operculi smaller and narrower, 

 bare orbital space larger, plumage of hindneck with scale-like mark- 

 ings, and color wholly dark gray except head and neck. 



Bill moderate or rather small, the length of exposed culmen much 

 less than distance from its base to anterior angle of eye, and equal to 

 more than twice the greatest depth of bill; nasal operculi relatively 

 smaller than in CMorcenas, their lower edge not reaching to edge of 

 maxilla; frontal feathering extending to about middle of nasal 

 operculi, decidedly in advance of malar antise, but falling far short of 

 mental antia. Wing rather long, pointed, the longest primaries 

 exceeding distal secondaries by nearly to quite one-third the length 

 of wing; third, or second and third, primaries (from outside) longest, 

 the first (outermost) shorter than fourth; inner webs of two outer 

 primaries very faintly sinuated. Tail about two-thirds (a little more 

 or less) as long as wing, truncated or very slightly rounded, the 

 rectrices relatively broad, with very broadly rounded tips, and 

 decidedly rigid. Tarsus decidedly shorter than middle toe (the 

 latter as 1.18 to 1.26 to 1), the acrotarsium with a single row of very 

 distinct, broad, slightly oblique transverse scutella, the planta tarsi 

 covered with minute, rather indistinct, roundish scales, the extreme 

 upper portion feathered in front; lateral toes equal in length, their 

 claws falling slightly short of base of middle claw; hallux strong, 

 longer than basal phalanx of middle toe. 



Plumage and coloration. — Plumage normal, but that of hindneck 

 conspicuously scale-like in adults; bare orbital space very large 

 beneath eyes. Color plain dark gray, except pileum, which is white 

 (or light brownish or grayish) in one species, deep purplish brown 

 in the other; hindneck metallic green, bronze, or purple conspicu- 

 ously squamated with black or dark purplish brown. 



Range. — West Indies, one species occurring also on the Florida Keys 

 and Caribbean coast of Central America. (Two species.) 



