COLUilBID.!; — THE PIGEONS — COLUMBA. 



507 



of irrain duriii" autumn and winter. Nortli of San Francisco I liave seen 



o o 



them in flocks in the grain-tiehls as early as July, and at the Columbia 

 Iliver they spend the summer in the valleys as well as throughout the 

 mountains. They are there migratory, lea\'ing in Octoher, but in Calitbrnia 

 their wanderings are guided chiefly l)y want of food. I have found them 

 building in the Coast Eange as far south as Santa Cruz, though I did not 

 succeed in finding any nests. I was told that they built in companies on 

 low bushes in unfrequented parts of the mountains, but Townsend found 

 their eggs on the ground near the banks of streams in Oregon, numbers 

 congregating together. I have myself found eg^. 



s which I supposed to 



be of this bird in a similar situation. They are white and aliout tlie 

 size of those of the tame pigeon. Like all their tribe, they lay but one or 

 two at a time. Their cooing is very much like that of the tame ])ige()n, 

 and easily distinguishable from that of the dove. From their similarity 

 of habits, there seems no reason why they should not be easily domesti- 

 cated. 



They feed on acorns, which they swallow whole, even when very large ; 

 also on berries, especially those of the Madrona (Arbutus), grain, and seeds of 

 various kinds. Being large, and delicate food, they furnish much sport for 

 the fowler in certain districts, but soon become so watchful and shy that 

 they are shot with difficulty, except when young or where they can be 

 watched for in amliu.sh. 



In Oregon tliey collect in flocks of thousands in the autumn, but I have 

 never seen more than a hundred together in this State. 



