_Columba martinica_, GMELIN, I, 1788, 781 (not of Temminck).
_Geotrygon martinica_, BONAP. Consp. Av. II, 1854, 74.—CAB. Jour.
IV, 1856, 108. _Oreopeleia martinicana_, REICH. Syst. Av. 1851, page
xxv.—IB. “Icones Avium, tab. 257, fig. 1431.” _Columba montana_, AUD.
Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 382, pl. clxvii.—IB. Syn. 1839, 191.—IB. Birds
Am. V, 1842, 14, pl. cclxxxii.—NUTTALL, Man. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 756
(not of Linnæus). _Zenaida montana_, BONAP. Geog. & Comp. List, 1838.
“_Columbigallina montana_, TEMMINCK.” “_Columba mystacea_, LEMBEYE,”
BONAP. (not of Temminck). _Oreopeleia martinica_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am.
1858, 607.—CAB. J. IV, 109 (Cuba).—GUNDL. Repert. Cub. I, 1866, 299
(Cuba).—REICH. Handb. Taub. 31, tab. 257, fig. 1432.
SP. CHAR. Ground-color of the upper parts, including wing (both
surfaces), and tail-feathers, chestnut-rufous; the upper part of head
and neck with metallic reflections of green and purple; the back, rump,
and wing-coverts, with reflections of metallic light-purplish or violet.
There is a white band from the lower mandible along side of the head,
bordered below by purplish-red, like the forehead, and a similar band
through the eyes, which are without metallic lustre. The breast is very
light purplish-red, fading to white towards the tail and chin. The
feathers of the under tail-coverts are dusky-brown at the base. Length,
10.70; wing, 6.00; tail, 5.75.
HAB. Key West, Florida; Cuba and Martinique, perhaps elsewhere in the
West Indies.
[Illustration: =41876= ♂ ½ ½
_Oreopeleia martinica._]
HABITS. The Key West Pigeon is found within the fauna of the United
States only in the extreme southern portion of Florida, and, so far
as known, only on the island of Key West, where Mr. Audubon met with
them, and enjoyed a limited opportunity of observing their habits. He
describes the flight as low, swift, and protracted, as he saw them
passing from Cuba to Key West. They moved in loose flocks of from
five or six to a dozen, and so very low as to almost seem to touch
the surface. They were fond of going out early in the morning from
their thickets to cleanse their plumage in the shelly sand, but on
the least approach of danger would fly back to the thickest part of
the woods, throw themselves on the ground, and run off with great
rapidity. Their movements of the tail and neck are similar to those
of the Carolina Dove. Their coo is said to be neither so soft nor so
prolonged as that of the common Dove, and may be represented by the
syllable _whoe-whoe-oh-oh-oh_. When suddenly approached, they utter a
guttural gasping sound. They are said to alight on the lower branches of
shrubby trees, and to delight in the neighborhood of shady ponds, always
inhabiting by preference the darkest solitudes. Whatever may have been
their abundance on Key West, in Mr. Audubon’s time, it is certain that
they are very rare there now, as I am not aware of their having been
taken of late years by any of the numerous collectors who have visited
South Florida since Mr. Audubon’s time.
[Illustration: _Oreopeleia martinica._]
The nest is described as formed of light dry twigs, in shape much
resembling that of the Carolina Dove. Occasionally it is placed on the
ground, and is then less elaborate. Some are placed on large branches
near the ground, while others are built among slender twigs.
Towards the middle of July, according to Mr. Audubon, they become so
abundant that sportsmen are able to shoot a score or more in a day. They
feed on berries and the seeds of various plants, and are especially fond
of the fruit of the sea-grape.