PIGEONS AND DOVES: MEXICAN GROUND DOVE 305 
ing as he gave his call, much as described by Bendire. Instead of in¬ 
flating his chest pouter-pigeon style, as is done by the Band-tails, “he 
puffed out his throat, and, as if about to launch into the air, threw up his 
wings as some of the ducks do in courtship display of the speculum, show¬ 
ing the handsome white wing crescent; and at the same time curved up 
the rounded fan tail so that its white thumb-mark band showed strik¬ 
ingly—all this as he gave his loud emotional call — kroo-kroo-kroo 
kru f . A rather distant answering call suggested that he was display¬ 
ing for a prospective mate. , . . When the call was given without 
the emotional display, it lapsed almost to monotony, being heard at 
camp all through the day. Some of the notes were heavily mouthed 
while others were muffled. The noise of the flight was volitional. 
One that I saw, puffed out his chest and started with whacking wings, 
soaring around, wings and tail spread; but shortly afterward it or another 
bird was seen flying by silently” (1923b, pp. 15-16). 
Additional Literature.—Gilman, M. F., Condor, XIII, 52-54, 1911.— 
Wetmore, A., Condor, XXII, 140-146, 1920. 
MEXICAN GROUND DOVE: Chamaepelia passerma pallescens Baird 
Description. — Length: 6.5-7 inches (Coues), wing 3.3-3.0, tail 2.7, bill .4-.5, 
tarsus .6-.7. Wings short and broad, tail short, nearly square. Adult male: Back of 
head and entire neck bluish, feathers suggesting scales , rest of upperparts mainly grayish 
brown, tail mainly blackish; wing coverts with lustrous steel blue spots, inner 
webs of quills and under coverts chestnut or bright reddish brown, face and underparts 
pinkish, breast feathers brown centrally; iris orange reel, bill coral or orange red, dusky 
at tip, legs and feet flesh-color or pink. Adult female and young: Similar, but duller; 
the young with whitish edgings to feathers. 
Comparisons. —Of the two small doves, the sparrow-sized Ground Dove is the 
smaller and has a short, almost square tail, while the Inca has along, double-rounded 
one. In the Inca, the whole body is apparently scaled; in the Ground Dove, only the 
head and neck seem scaled. (See p. 306.) 
Range. —Lower Sonoran and Tropical Zones from Lower California, southern 
California, southern Arizona, New Mexico, and middle southern Texas south to 
Costa Rica; casual in western California. 
State Records. —The only place in New Mexico where the little Mexican Ground 
Dove has been noted is at Mesilla. The earliest date was May 5 and in 1913 the 
species was seen until October 16 (Merrill).— W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —In a low tree or bush, particularly cottonwood, mesquite, willow, or 
prickly pear cactus, usually 2 to 6 feet from the ground, but sometimes on the ground; 
small, but compactly made of twigs or plant stalks, at times lined with a few straws. 
Eggs: 2, white. 
Food.— Small seeds, refuse grain, and berries. 
General Habits.— Writing from Mesilla, Professor Merrill says the 
Mexican Ground Dove “is not common here, but I have seen several 
pairs at different places in the valley from May to September. I do 
not know if they stay longer. One specimen in the college museum 
