15 



enemies. However true this may be in other places, it cannot be 

 said of the region around Cameron. During the time from May 

 15 to August .13, the writer recorded 111 nests, which were 

 watched more or less closely. Of these, 80 were destroyed in one 

 way or another, leaving but 28 per cent to live till they were able 

 to fly, and showing that of the total number of nests that are built 

 but few birds ever reach maturity. This loss is compensated, 

 somewhat, by the fact that if the adults are not injured they will 

 in all likelihood lay a second time. Furthermore this may be 

 exceptional in this locality, but even then, the percentage cannot 

 be very much higher than in other places, as the natural enemies 

 are by no means superabundant in the nesting locality of the 

 doves in this vicinity. 



The nesting area in the vicinity of the Gulf Biologic Station 

 is a patch of woods nearly a mile long and one-quarter of a mile 

 wide at the widest, extending east and west. The preceding table 

 represents observations made during the summer of 1908, on 

 nests in this area. The location of nests was noted by marking 

 off the area into a number of ranges which crossed a path running 

 east and west. From these points a nest was recorded as so many 

 paces east and so many north. Rounds were made nearly every 

 day, but the entire area was not always covered. Nests were 

 recorded as flown when the young disappeared after having at- 

 tained a size at which they would be capable of taking care of 

 themselves. It is possible that a few individuals, driven out pre- 

 inaturely, may escape their enemies and survive, yet such eases 

 cannot be but rare, except in localities where the natural ene- 

 mies are scarce. 



What are the agencies, then, that the doves have to contend 

 with? Are tliey the elements, or are they predacious animals? 

 Heavy rains and winds may do their share, but it is small. On 

 j\lay lo, before records were kept of nests, a storm struck this 

 region, in which 7.3 inches of rain fell in less than eight hours. 

 This destroyed, by flooding, practically every nest of the com- 

 nion night hawk, of which there were a good many, and the 

 adults were seen in flocks flying around all day long for several 

 days after, till they had started to nest again, yet the writer did 

 not notice that the number of nests vacated among the doves 

 was anv more than would have been under ordinarv eircum- 



