156 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



56. Starncenas cyanocephala (Linn^us). 



BLUE-HEADED QUAIL-DOVE. 



Columba cyanocephala Linn^us, Systema Naturae, ed. 10, 1, 1758, 163. 

 Starncenas cyanocephala Bonaparte, Geographical and Comprehensive List, 1838, 41. 



(B 455, C 377, R 468, C 551, U 323.) 



Geographical range: Florida Keys and Cuba. 



The Blue-headed Quail-Dove is another rare visitor within our borders, 

 and it is doubtful if it breeds with us. No specimens have been taken of 

 late years on any of the Florida islands and smaller keys. 



Dr. Jean Grundlach, in his "Beitrage zur Ornithologie Cuba's," writes 

 about the Blue-headed Quail-Dove as follows: "This species is a constant 

 resident of the Island of Cuba, and is likewi* found in the extreme southerly 

 portions of the United States, as well as on the Island of Jamaica, but does 

 not seems to occur on the remaining West India Islands. 



"It is not uncommon in the extensive forest, especially in such in which 

 the ground is rocky, but is scarcely ever found in cultivated fields or open 

 prairie country. It moves slowly, with the neck contracted and tail erected, 

 while searching for food among the dead leaves on the ground. This con- 

 sists of seeds of various kinds, berries, and occasionally small snails. After 

 feeding, it usually flies into a tree and perches on a leafless horizontal limb, 

 or on one of the numerous parasitic vines, to rest. In the early mornings, 

 should its plumage, perchance, have -become wet while traveling through the 

 dew-laden shrubbery, it selects a sunny spot to dry itself. From time to 

 time this Dove utters her call note, consisting of two hollow-sounding notes, 

 'hu-up,' the first syllable long drawn out, the second short and uttered very 

 quickly. Besides" this note a low muttering is occasionally heard. Their 

 call notes are deceptive, appearing near when distant, and distant when close 

 by. Its flight is noisy when starting, similar to that of the European Par- 

 tridge, from which it receives its misleading name 'Perdiz. J " 



It nests in April and May; the nest is a simple affair, consisting of a few 

 twigs. It is usually placed in the tops of parasitic vines, Tittandsia. It lays 

 two white eggs, measuring 35 by 25.5 millimetres. 



Dr. Juan Vilar6, professor of the University of Habana, Cuba, writes me : 

 "This Dove is constantly decreasing in numbers, being continually persecuted, 

 notwithstanding it is protected at certain times by the hunting laws." 



According to Dr. Bachman, of Charleston, South Carolina, the egg of this 

 species is of a uniform, creamy-white color, and measures 1.43 inches in length 

 by 1.10 in breadth (about 36.3 by 27.9 millimetres). The egg referred to was 

 laid in confinement in his aviary. 1 



I consider the latter description as more probably the correct one. There 

 are no specimens of the eggs in the U. S. National Museum collection. 



1 Birds of North America, 1874, Vol. Ill, p. 396. 



