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U. S. P. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY— GENERAL REPORT. 
ZENAIDURA CAROLINENSIS, Bonap. 
Carolina, or Common Dove. 
Columba carolinensis, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 266, No. 37.— Gmelin, I, 787.— Latham, Ind. II, 1790, 613.— 
Wilson, Am. Oin. V, 1812, 91 ; pi. xliii.— Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 159.— Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 
1831, 91 : V, 1839, 555 ; pi. 17.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 626. 
Turlur carolinensis, Brisson, I, 110 ; pi. viii. 
Ecto'pistes carolinensis, Rich. List, 1837.— Bonap. Geog. List, 1838.— Aud. Syn. 1839,195.—In. Birds Amer. V, 
1842, 36 ; pi. 286. 
Zcnaidura carolinensis, Bonap. Consp. Av. II, 1854, 84. Type. 
Perissura carolinensis, Cabanis, Cab. Jour. 1856, 111, 112. Type. 
Columba marginala, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. 1,1766, 286, No. 40, (best description.)— Gmelin, 1,1788, 791.— Wagler, 
Syst. Av. 1827, No. 91.— Ib. Isis, 1831, 519. 
Ectopistes marginata, Gray, List, Br. Mus. 
lEctopistes marginellus, Woodhouse, Pr. A. N. Sc. VI, June, 1852, 104.— Ib. Expl. Zuni & Color 1853, 93 ; Birds, 
pi. v. Canadian river, Ark. Immature bird. 
? Zenaidura marginella, Bonap. Consp. Av. II, 1854, 85. 
Sp. Ch.—T ail feathers 14. Above bluish, although this is overlaid with light brownish olive, leaving the blue pure only on the top 
of the head, the exterior of the wings, and the upper surface of the tail, which is even slightly tinged with this color. The entire 
head, except the vertex, the sides of the neck, and the under parts generally, light brownish red, strongly tinged with purple on 
the breast, becoming lighter behind, and passing into brownish yellow on the anal region, tibia, and under tail coverts. Sides 
of the neck with a patch of metallic purplish red. Sides of body and inside of wings clear light blue. Wing coverts and 
scapulars spotted with black, mostly concealed, and an oblong patch of the same below the ear. Tail feathers seen from below 
blackish, the outer web of outermost white, the others tipped with the same, the color becoming more and more bluish to the 
innermost, which is brown. Seen from above there is the same gradation from white to light blue in the tips ; the rest of the 
feather, however, is blue, with a bar of black anterior to the light tip, which runs a little forward along the margin and shaft of 
the feather. In the sixth feather the color is uniform bluish, with this bar ; the seventh is without bar. Bill black ; feet yellow. 
Female smaller, and with less red beneath. Length of male, 12.85 ; wing, 5.75 ; tail, 6.70. 
Hub. —Throughout United States from Atlantic to Pacific. Cuba, Gundlach. 
This species resembles the wild pigeon, E. migratoria, but is much smaller; has the tail 
much longer than the wings, instead of equal to them, and consisting of fourteen feathers 
instead of twelve. These feathers are much less acutely pointed. The sides of the head, the 
front, and the chin are reddish, instead of blue. The quills lack the broad white and red 
border ; the tail feathers the reddish patch. The black spot beneath the ear is not found in E. 
migratoria. 
In comparing a large series of specimens of doves from various localities in North America 
I can perceive no differences of moment, except that the more southern are smaller. There is a 
purer blue on the tail and upper parts of Pennsylvania skins, the olive brown shade above 
being more conspicuous in those from the west. 
The young of the year is much duller in general appearance than the adult, and is of a 
decided brownish cast, with streaks of blackish on the head, breast, and elsewhere. Nearly all 
the feathers are tipped with paler, forming bands. The Ecto'pistes marginellus of Woodhouse is 
of this character. It is certainly a young bird, and has nothing to distinguish it from th 
common eastern species, whatever may be the case with the adult. 
