BIRDS OF THE REGION 135 



The Merriam turkey, once abundant throughout the 

 Guadalupe Mountains and down nearly or quite to 

 the cave level, has been killed in recent years until 

 hunters now find it necessary to go north of Queen 

 before any of these magnificent birds are encountered. 

 Considerable numbers are still found, however, in the 

 Sacramento and White mountains, and better protec- 

 tion might easily restore them to their former range on 

 the rough ridges west of the Carlsbad Cave, where an 

 abundance of food and dense cover afford ideal condi- 

 tions for them. 



Band-tailed pigeons are said still to breed in the 

 Guadalupe Mountains, where twenty-four years ago 

 Mrs. Bailey and I found them nesting in the extreme 

 head of McKittrick Canyon. Their large size, owl- 

 like hooting, and the loud flapping of their broad wings, 

 render them conspicuous in any forest, and here at the 

 extreme southeastern corner of their range their 

 presence has a special interest. At one time rigidly 

 protected for fear of their suffering the fate of the 

 passenger pigeon, they have in recent years shown a 

 marked increase in the far west and if given a chance 

 will undoubtedly hold their own. Nevertheless, the 

 places where they can be studied are all too few. 



The common mourning doves are generally distributed 

 over the Pecos Valley in summer, and a few appeared 

 at the Carlsbad Cave during the latter part of March. 

 They did not become numerous during my stay up to 

 early May, but were evidently in breeding numbers. 

 The pelvis bones of one, heavily encrusted with lime, 

 were found in the cave near the Devil's Den, back half 



