128 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Mr. M. A. Frazar, while collecting near Pearce's Ranch, in Lower Cali- 

 fornia, obtained two nests, each containing a single egg. One of these is now 

 before me. This egg was taken July 19, 1887, and the nest in which it was 

 found was composed of a few sticks, placed on a broken upright branch in the 

 center of a giant cactus, about 18 feet from the ground. The egg was fresh; it 

 is pure white, slightly glossy, elliptical ovate in shape, and not quite as notably 

 pointed at the small end as the eggs of Columba fasciata; it measures 38 by 

 26.5 millimetres. 



The type specimen (No. 23946, U. S. National Museum collection, PI. 3, 

 Fig. 18) above described was kindly donated by Mr. William Brewster. 



44. Columba flavirostris Wagler. 



RED-BILLED PIGEON. 



Columba flavirostris Wagler, Isis, 1831, 519. 



(B 446, C 368, R 457, C 540, U 313.) 



Geographical range : Mexico and Central America ; south to Costa Rica ; north 

 to southern Texas, southern Arizona, and Lower California. 



The Red-billed Pigeon can only be considered as a summer visitor over 

 the greater portion of its range within the borders of the United States. It is 

 most commonly found along the heavily-timbered bottom lands of the valley 

 of the Rio Grande, in Texas, where it breeds abundantly, and a few may pos- 

 sibly remain throughout the- year near the mouth of that river. It extends 

 thence into southern Arizona, but is of rare occurrence in that Territory. 



Mr. George B. Sennett, in his "Birds of the Rio Grande of Texas," gives 

 the following account of this interesting species: "I found this fine large 

 Pigeon common in heavy timber, more especially in the tall scattered clumps 

 near the larger tracts. Its appearance is so marked that it can be recognized at 

 all times from other members of the family. Like all Pigeons, it is fond of the 

 water. Any morning will find numbers of all the different species going to 

 and coming from the sand-bars in the river, where they are in the habit of 

 drinking and bathing. 



"The cooing of this bird is clear, short, and rather high pitched. It is 

 more secluded in its habits than any of the others, except the one I have latelv 

 found new to our fauna, JEchmojAila albifroits. In point of numbers it is much 

 less numerous than the Carolina and the White-winged Doves; still it is shot 

 quite extensively for the market. I found it breeding, and secured several sets 

 of nests and eggs. * * * 



"On April 30, I found my first nest of this bird in the vicinity of Hidalgo. 

 The locality was a grove of large trees, with undergrowth, and clumps of 

 bushes matted with vines. While prying about the thick vines, I flushed the 

 bird off its nest, and it alighted in one of the tall trees near by. It took me 

 but a moment or two to examine the nest and shoot the bird. In less than ten 



