WESTERN WHITE-WINGED DOVE 429 



wheat fields suffer and the loss is considerable. The Indians try to frighten 

 them away from the fields but do not hunt them. Probably they figure that 

 ammunition would count up more on the debit side than would the wheat 

 destroyed. 



Referring to southern California, W. Leon Dawson (1923) says: 



The White-winged Dove is a tardy migrant, and its numerous arrival in late 

 April is quite conspicuous. Flight is conducted at low levels, and occupancy 

 is effected by a progressive invasion rather than by a sudden coup. The 

 birds troop across the roads in endless desultory columns, or else rise hastily 

 from a wayside snack ; or, most likely of all, gather upon exposed branches 

 to mark with curious wooden detachment the passing of the intruder. 



Courtship. — Dr. Alexander Wetmore (1920) has published a most 

 interesting account of his extensive studies of the white-winged dove, 

 from which I shall quote freely ; regarding courtship, he writes : 



In displaying before females males had a curious habit or pose in which they 

 raised the tail high and tilted the body forward. At the same time the tail was 

 spread widely and theu closed with a quick flash of the prominent black and 

 white markings. In the breeding colonies males at intervals flew out with 

 quick, full strokes of the spread wings, rising until they were thirty or forty feet 

 in the air. The wings were then set stiffly with the tips decurved, while the 

 birds scaled around above the mesquites in a great circle that often brought 

 them to their original perches. The contrasted markings of the wings showed 

 brilliantly during this flight and the whole was most striking and attractive. 

 In the cooler part of the morning males performed constantly in this manner 

 over the rookery. 



Mrs. Florence M. Bailey (1923) describes it as follows: 



One was seen displaying as he gave his call, as is described by Bend ire. 

 Instead of inflating his chest pouter-pigeon style, as is done by the Band-tails, 

 he puffed out his throat, and, as if about to launch into the air, threw up his 

 wings as some of the ducks do in courtship display of the speculum, showing 

 the handsome white wing crescent ; and at the same time curved up the 

 rounded fan tail so that its white thumb-mark band showed strikingly — all 

 this as he gave his loud emotional call — Eroo-kroo' -kroo-lcru' . A rather distant 

 answering call suggested that he was displaying for a prospective mate. Display 

 actually before a female was witnessed a week later by Mrs. Nicholson when 

 I was down in the valley. When the call was given without the emotional 

 display it lapsed almost to monotony, being heard at camp all through the 

 day. Some of the notes were heavily mouthed, while others were muffled. 

 The noise of the flight was volitional. One that I saw, puffed out his chest 

 and started with whacking wings, soaring around, wings and tail spread ; but 

 shortly afterward it or another bird was seen flying by silently. 



Nesting. — Doctor Wetmore's (1920) account of the nesting habits 

 follows : 



On my arrival in June I found them breeding in pairs scattered through the 

 cultivated lands or the open desert, or congregated in large colonies in suitable 

 mesquite monies near the Gila River. One or two pairs were found at inter- 

 vals in cottonwoods beside roads or near ranch houses, but the greatest 

 interest centered in the large congregations to be found in suitable tracts of 

 mesquites. These rookeries were often of considerable extent. One located 



