_Hab._ Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina.
The Talpacoti or Chocolate Dove is an inhabitant of Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. In Argentina it occurs only on the northern frontiers, and was met with by White at Oran, in the province of Salta, in the month of November:--"These pretty chocolate-coloured Doves," he tells us, "fly in pairs, and at this date were found constructing their nests in the orange-groves. They are sometimes seen on the ground busily in quest of seeds, but are very wild and not at all common."
White also obtained specimens of this Dove at Concepcion in Misiones.
364. ENGYPTILA CHALCAUCHENIA (Scl. et Salv.).
+Peristera frontalis+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 497 (Paraná, Tucuman). +Leptoptila megalura+, _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 626 (Salta) (?). +Leptoptila chalcauchenia+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1869, p. 633; _iid. Nomencl._ p. 133; _Salvin, Ibis_, 1880, p. 363 (Salta); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 275 (Entrerios).
_Description._--Above greyish brown; head and nape plumbeous; back of neck with the feathers edged with iridescent bronzy green; tail blackish, broadly tipped with white; central rectrices like the back: beneath pale vinaceous; middle of throat, belly, and crissum white; under surface of wings bright chestnut; bill black; feet yellowish: whole length 10·0 inches, wing 5·7, tail 4·8. _Female_ similar.
This Dove, which is a southern form of a widely distributed group of species of the genus _Engyptila_, formerly called _Leptoptila_, inhabits the woods of the Plata district, and never, like other Pigeons, seeks the open country to feed. It is solitary, although, where many birds live in close proximity, three or four may be sometimes seen in company. It spends a great deal of time on the ground, where it walks about under the trees rather briskly, searching for seeds and berries. Their song is a single uninflected and rather melodious note, which the bird repeats at short intervals, especially in the evening during the warm season. Where the birds are abundant the wood, just before sunset, becomes vocal with their curious far-sounding notes; and as this evening song is heard as long as the genial weather lasts, it is probably not related to the sexual instinct. The nest is a simple platform; the eggs are two and white, but more spherical in shape than those of most other Pigeons.
