24 ZEN AID A DOVE.
flexible, and the upper türgid towards - the e n d ; by their short
tarsi,^divided tdes, and* long,'acute wings, with the first primary
somewhat shórtèr than the second, which is the longest. This
group:'-(thé' true Pigeons and'Doves^is however so numerous in
speciesH that we cannot but wonder that it should still remain
comparatively' untouched by the reforming hand of ïöfir-èöhtem-
poraries; especially seeing that as'good reasons may be found
for' subdividing them- a s , the'1 Parrot's, and other large natural
groups "We may“im ita te r the’ 'differences exhibited in the fdrm
óf 'the 'ScafeswêbwM^ 'l^ ^ ta r s n s it'andrthé shape of the tdil,”18tc.
as offering characters mi' which sections or genera^coulir’
founded, But as the “species of the United Stages, which are those
we are to; threat of; are but few, we shall le'ave the promising'task
tb a n y o n e «whoseïr'Pesearches may*leadj,him td engage in:itf; and
shall *ènïy4'öbseiTve, «that’"the two species described' by WilsOn
belong to a different group from the $hree we have^tifee in%0-
diiced into the6 'Fauna of tiMs “cofaritry-r^' Of these the rpré'sêht
Beautiful Dove is tnspoMy one^ilBSrtO'xinde'scribed.™\
’ This rtèw^-Mid^charming little Species inhabits the FlOrida-lkeys
with the preceding but is^-mueh- more rare. W e ' have also
received it from Cuba, and noticed' a specimen in- a^Bo 1-lection Of
skins sent from that island by Mr. MacLeay to «the jZoologlbaJi
Society “lof Loddpn./ ; T h ey ta te fond of being on the. ground,
wh?rêv!£iïbyJare most commonly observed, dusting themselves, and
seeking fot the griavéf which, like the gallinaceous ’birds, they
swallow to*-assist digestion. -/ Wheh flushed,- the^ prodfice the
same whistling noise' with ‘‘flrefr wings as' the6/ common Turtle
Dove, *(3olumba carolinensis.
w 45ftè* Zenaida Dove -measures’ ten inches in léhgth. The bill
is somewhat more rdbust than that o f’ the common* Dovè, 'htft
otherwise perfectly similar, less than an inch long, bla‘ck,: the
corners of the mouth being lake: the irides are dark brdwn^ne
«pupil of the eye large, and 'Uhe^eye W^eljp full, giving the whdle
bird a mild and jnlpasing expresisiox^d|fie> naked* orbits • are of a
bluish gray. The &bple plumage* hb|oA0nsi^&Ilowlshj a^hy.-gbrown,
tinged with vinaonpus* op,-the c tom ia n d paler- on the 'sides of the
head and^ neck;Sunder^the fe^£*is I sm a i l brigM.jrinh and deep
violapeOus Jspot, rivalling the arnethy® in, splendourj^andi above
this*a;-similar smaller^pne, iyery distinguishabl^fehfera.des of
t^e- nedl^before^the bend d f ipiy foinar exhibit splendid ‘ golden
violaceous reflections slightly 4p gs singtjantp', gr.ecnisiv i%,differ ent
lights: the.-^scapula'rs are spotted ydth black, Jfhe. spots being
lar^e and roundish; the -exterior wii|^pSerts,' - spurious wing and
quill-fgaMfers$ar«|' blackish Jtf^mSjjn&naries are^edgdd, with white
eiternaJlyf and with the exception o f d h e *tip also;
|he sefeMidaries are broadly term in ated ^ ife^H ^e i ,T h e chin is
yellowish white1; tijthe‘ w l^ e .?iufe;piprM^rfa;ce is bright yinate’ebufs,
^lervnn,thjC threat» add1 gr;a?djiallyassing iubfeiVlmn on ithe
belly; thp flanks and Junder ^ng-coverts, are^tdeboate lilac» and
thmnn.der tsdl'icoverts are mixed with J^,Sa^e<lcolour|^|0,i!ne'.©f
the'longest beings entirely lilac,^Jhioh is^lso found1 lat Aeibase of
plumage on ■ t te tbell.y;and rump. Thg^ings^iafpl six inches
and a, quarter lcmg,(reaching withjp'iq^Jffiajifli o ^ lir§..tipfof the ta il:
the^primarieStare^yntire on bOthlydn^’S^ the first is; Sohg.er, than
the fourth, ih£* sdf'dnd6 longest-^ though scarcely; lorfepT- .'than the
tb i^ d * T he tail is four and a r half inches_dfejaifet eomdoMfl:k>f
twelve broad, full, fu n d e d 4^,thers,i ^ t 'Chding buti/gqe inch
beyond their coyBrts: itidjknearly'evenv and of*the^coJo(ur'of <,*feh.'e
bodyi with a broad black band at two-thirds of itsdength^Mlssolete
on* the- two middleifeathers-ywhich are of theMtljbnr ofythqvbpdy)
purer on the three* exterior; the lateral feathers; a re-pearl-pyav fqr
half an inchSitoward-s tj^e ,.Mp.^ thTet qute^plnmfi being mbrenver
of *that colour on the opie^-vane: Ilrahe tail-fehthens are blackish
on^the inferior ^uid-ace tqj withjn thred quarters of an inch of their