UPLAND GAME BIRDS 



133 



as food in his own throat. Both adults feed their young 



by regurgitation for twenty days, and undoubtedly give 



them water in the same way until they learn to drink, in 



true pigeon fashion, by suction. The newly hatched 



Mourning Doves are unique among young birds, for they 



are daintily formed miniature goslings ^^^^ 



with goose bill and all. This bill ends 



in a pearly tip, and the young doves /, 



are covered with short, cottony, 



white down, through which 



the yellow skin is an- J^k^^/ry^.^ 



parent. The X l/f/f^/^^^^^^< 

 mother birds are / /^/^/^ •^'^^^ 

 both shy and 



stupid, for / ^^X^i\"^'<; r ^.^y^*^^^^ 



they will in- 

 variably betray their nest by 

 flying off when, if they re- 

 mained quiet, it might not be 



noticed. I know of no birds who desert their eggs 

 and young so readily. The mother bird is also a slack 

 housekeeper, and so loosely is the nest built that the 

 eggs may nearly always be seen from below. In two 

 instances Mr. P. W. Smith, of Creenville, Illinois, found 

 these birds occupying old robins' nests, and unco lie 

 discovered two of tlicir eggs in the home of a thrasher, 

 which also contained one thrasher G^r^<^. 



In spite of these well-authenticated instances, ami the 

 fact that I have found Mourning Doves brooding tiieir 

 young in a kingl)ir(l"s oUl nest thirLlij h'lird irith s/irep's 



316. jMourning Dove. 



" A platform of sticks.''^ 



