OBSERVATIONS ON DOVES LEARNING TO DRINK 



WALLACE CRAIG 

 The University of Maine 



The method of learning to drink has been studied carefully 

 in fowls 1 and in a few other birds whose drinking resembles that 

 of fowls. 2 But the drinking of pigeons differs from that of fowls 

 in two important respects as follows: (i) Fowls and most birds 

 drink by taking a little water in the mouth, then throwing the 

 head up and swallowing this water, then lowering the head to 

 refill the mouth, and so on. In contrast to this, all the pigeons 

 (Columbidae), when they drink, hold the beak submerged in 

 the water and gulp the liquid continuously. When it has finished 

 and withdrawn the bill, the pigeon usually stands still, mumb- 

 ling the bill a little and swallowing in a manner adapted to drain 

 the throat and mouth; but even this part of the process has 

 little resemblance to the drinking of fowls, for it is a very slight 

 activity and the head is not raised above the normal. (2) The 

 chick is precocial and must learn to drink soon after hatching. 

 The pigeon is altricial, it is supplied by its parents with moist- 

 ened food. It need not learn to drink for two weeks or more 

 (the time varying somewhat with the species) and even after 

 this period its learning to drink may be slow an^i gradual. 



The following observations were made on the blond ring- 

 dove, Turhir risorius. 



OBSERVATIONS ON DOVE NO. 43 



This dove was hatched on December 17, 1910. It was fed 

 plentifully by the parents for about 24 days, after which the 

 parents were unwilling to feed it. By that time it had learned 

 to eat seed quite proficiently, but had had no opportunity to 

 learn to drink. It was then taken away from the parents and 

 brought up by hand. It ate much seed for itself, but in addition 

 soft food was placed by hand in its mouth and water was given 

 it by means of a medicine dropper. It was not offered water 



1 Breed, Frederick S. The Development of Certain Instincts and Habits in 

 Chicks. Behavior Monographs, No. 1, 1911. pp. 8-13 are on drinking. 



2 Morgan, C. Lloyd. Habit and Instinct. London, 189(3. pp. 44-46. 



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