| 315. Passenger Pigeon, Wild Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius). L. 16. Outer tail-feathers chestnut at base of inner web. Ad. ♂. Chin, whole head., and lower back bluish slate. Ad. ♀. Browner above, breast brownish ashy; neck feathers less iridescent. Notes. An explosive, squeaky, squawk. Range.—Formerly eastern North America north to Hudson Bay; now exceedingly rare, less so in the upper Mississippi valley than elsewhere. 316. Mourning Dove, Carolina Dove (Zenaidura macroura). L. 11.8. Outer tail-feathers slate color at base of inner web. Ad. ♂. Chin whitish; sides of head buffy; a black ear mark. Ad. ♀. Similar but paler, breast more ashy brown, neck-feathers less iridescent. Notes. Coo-o-o-ah, coo-o-o-coo-o-o-coo-o-o. Range.—North America, breeding from West Indies and Mexico north to southern Maine, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia; winters from southern New York, southern Illinois, Kansas and southern California southward. 317. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida zenaida). L. 10. Ad. ♂. Tail short, without white markings; all but central pair of feathers tipped with ashy blue; secondaries tipped with white. Ad. ♀. Similar but pinkish of crown and underparts brownish; neck feathers less iridescent. Notes. Resemble those of [No. 316], but are louder and deeper. Range.—Greater Antilles, coast of Yucatan and Bahamas, north in April to Florida Keys. 318. White-fronted Dove (Leptotila fulviventris brachyptera). L. 12. No black ear-mark; under wing-coverts rusty chestnut. Ad. ♂. Forehead whitish; all but central pair of tail-feathers tipped with white. Ad. ♀. Forehead dingier; breast brownish ashy; neck feathers less iridescent. Notes. A short, soft coo. Range.—Central America and Mexico, north in February to valley of Lower Rio Grande. |
| 319. White-winged Dove (Melopelia leucoptera). L. 12. Wing-coverts, externally, widely margined with white; large black ear marks. Ads. All but central pair of tail-feathers bluish slate with a black band and whitish tip. Notes. A loud, crowing cookeree-cookeree-coo-ree-coo, crow-co-er-coo, crow-co-er-coo. Range.—Southern border of United States from Texas to Arizona south to Lower California and Central America, Cuba and Jamaica, casual at Key West, Florida. 320. Ground Dove; Mourning Dove (Columbigallina passerina terrestris). L. 6.7. Smallest of our Doves. Ad. ♂. Forehead and underparts deep vinaceous pink; hindhead and nape ashy blue margined with dusky; base of bill coral, tip black. Ad. ♀. Forehead and breast brownish gray; breast feathers with dusky centers and margins. Notes. A soft, crooning coo. Range.—Atlantic and Gulf States north to northern North Carolina, west to eastern Texas; more common near coast. 320a. Mexican Ground Dove (C. p. pallescens). Similar to [No. 320], but forehead and underparts much paler; back grayer. Range.—Texas to southern California and south to Central America. 320b. Bermuda Ground Dove (C. p. bermudiana). Similar to [320a], but smaller and paler; bill wholly black. (Bangs and Bradlee.) Range.—Bermuda. 321. Inca Dove (Scardafella inca). L. 8. Ads. Tail long, outer feathers tipped with white; plumage above and below margined with dusky, giving a scaled appearance. Range.—Southern Texas (San Antonio), southern Mexico and southern Arizona south to Lower California and Central America. 322. Key West Quail-Dove (Geotrygon chrysia). L. 12. Ads. A white line below eye; belly white; back rich rusty with beautiful, metallic, purplish, green and blue reflections; tail rusty with no white. Range.—Cuba, Hayti, Bahamas and, rarely, Florida Keys. 322.1. Ruddy Quail-Dove (Geotrygon montana). L. 11. Ad. ♂. No white line below eye; breast dull pinkish; belly deep buff; back rich rusty with purplish reflections, tail rusty without white. Ad. ♀. Above olive-brown with greenish reflections; below rusty buff. Range.—Mexico south to Brazil; West Indies; casual at Key West Florida. 323. Blue-headed Quail Dove (Starnœnas cyanocephala). L. 12. Ads. Crown and sides of throat dull blue; middle of upper breast black with white bars and pinkish tips; belly rusty brown, lower back as in [No. 316]. Notes. A hollow sounding hu-up, the first syllable long, the second short. (Gundlach.) Range.—Cuba, and rarely Florida Keys. |
Order XII. VULTURES, HAWKS, AND OWLS.
RAPTORES.
| Family 1. | AMERICAN VULTURES. | Cathartidæ. | 3 species. |
| Family 2. | FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, etc. | Falconidæ. | 33 species, 13 subspecies. |
| Family 3. | BARN OWLS. | Strigidæ. | 1 species. |
| Family 4. | HORNED OWLS. | Bubonidæ. | 19 species, 20 subspecies. |
In the Raptores we have a group of birds of great value to man but whose services for the most part, are so little appreciated that, far from protecting these birds, we have actually persecuted them.
The Vultures, it is true, are given credit for their good work as scavengers and they are protected both by law and by public sentiment. Every one knows that a living Vulture is infinitely more useful than a dead one. As a result throughout countries inhabited by these birds they are usually both abundant and tame, entering the cities to feed in the streets with an assurance born of years of immunity from harm.