602 
U. S. P. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
ZENAIDA, Bon. 
Zenaida, Bonaparte, Geog. & Comp. List, 1838. Type Columba zenaida, Bp. 
Ch. —Bill black ; the culmen about two-fifths the rest of the head. Tarsi a little shorter than the middle toe and claw, but 
considerably longer than t*.e lateral toes. Tarsus with broad scutellae anteriorly, those on the lower half bifid, making two 
hexagonal series. Inner lateral toe a little the longer. Hind toe and claw as long as the inner lateral without claw. Wings 
lengthened ; second and third quills longest. Tail short, about two-fifths the wings, rounded or a little graduated. Orbits 
feathered, especially anterior to the eye ; the lids bare. 
But one species of this genus belongs to our fauna, and this probably is but an occasional 
visitor. The Zenaida martinicana, of Bonaparte, from Martinique and the Bermudas, may 
sometimes reach Florida. 1 
ZENAIDA AMABILIS, Bo nap. 
Zeuaida Dove. 
Columba zenaida, Bonap. J. A. N. Sc. V, 1825, 30 .—Ib. Am. Orn II, 1828 ; pi. xv.—I b. Syn. 1828, 119.— Wagler, 
Isis, 1829, 744.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 625.— Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834,354: V, 558; pi. 
162 .—Ib. Syn. 191 .—Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 1 ; pi. 281. 
Zenaida amabilis, Bon. List, 1838.— Ib. Consp. II, 1854, 82.— Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 307.— Reichenbach, leones 
Av. “tab. 255.” —Gundlach, Cabanis’ Journ. 1856,111. 
Zenaida aurita, Gray, not Columba aurita, of Lichtenstein, (Z. maculata,) nor of Temminck, (Z. martinicana ,) fide 
Bonaparte. 
Sp. Cii.—W ings very long, reaching to the terminal third of the tail. Above reddish olive, variously glossed with gray ; the top 
of the head and the under parts violet-purplish red, paler on the chin and throat. Inside of wings, and sides of body, blue ; greater 
wing coverts tinged with the same. Quills dark brown ; the secondaries tipped with white. Inner tail feathers like the back; 
the others blue above ; all witli a subterminal bar of black, beyond which the blue is lighter, assuming a whitish tint on the 
exterior feathers. Wing coverts with concealed spots of black, which are more visible on the tertials ; a spot of the same below 
the ear. Bill black. Feet yellowish. Length, 10 inches ; wing, 6.00 ; tail, 4.00. 
Hub .—Florida Keys. Chiefly on or near Indian Key, and the West Indies. 
The only specimen of this species I have at my command is one from Mr. Audubon’s collec¬ 
tion, probably procured in Florida. It is more seldom seen now than formerly on the Keys, 
as a collection of birds from Indian Key did not contain any specimens of it. 
List of specimens. 
Catalogue number. 
Locality. 
Whence obtained. 
Collected by— 
1935. 
Florida ? 
S. F. Baird . 
J. J Audubon_ 
MELOPELIA, Bonaparte. 
Melopelia, Bonap. Consp. II, Dec. 1854, 81. Type Columba leucoptera, L. 
Ch.—S imilar to Zenaida; the orbital region naked; the bill longer; the middle toe longer; the hinder shorter. Tarsal 
scutellae in a single series anteriorly. First quill nearly as long as the second and third. 
This genus, like nearly all the North American ones, is represented by but a single species in 
the United States. 
1 Zenaida martinicana, Bon. Conspectus II, 1854, 82. ( Columba aurita, Temminck, castanea, Wagler; Zenaida bimaculata, 
Gray.) Similar to Z. amabilis, but with the spots on the tertiary quills margined behind with white ; the abdomen and lower 
tail coverts vinaceous white ; the tips of the outer tail feathers white. 
