PIGEONS AND DOVES 



51 



lives in miiiibcrs and in companies of twos or 

 threes frequent the gardens and quiet streets. 

 Throughout the spring and summer its soft coo- 

 ing notes are repeatedly licard issuing from the 

 orange trees or grajic-vines. Its soft plaintive 

 note has won for it the name of " Mourning 

 Dove " by many people who in turn give the 

 name " Turtle Dove " to the s])ecies to which this 

 name rightfully belongs. 



The breeding season of few birds extends over 

 such an unusually long period. I have found 

 nests with fresh eggs as early as February 28, 

 and every month afterward until Sc])temher 26. 

 It is rather curious that an entirely dilTcrent 

 character of nesting site seems to be chosen at 

 different times of year. The nests I have found 

 in the early spring were always on the top of 

 rotting stum])s. Later nearly all nests discovered 

 were on the ground in grain-fields or weed 

 patches, the one exception being nests found on 

 the fronds of cabbage palmetto trees. In the 

 months of July, August, and September, of more 

 than forty nests examined, all were either on the 

 larger boughs of orange trees, or resting on the 

 horizontal supports of scuppernong grape-vines. 



These notes were made over a period of six 

 years' observation in Alachua County, Florida. 

 The nest is always a simple atTair of dried grasses 

 with occasionally small twigs for support. Two 

 white eggs are laid. The young are fed by the 

 process of regurgitation. 



We might expect this little Dove to be the 

 personification of gentleness, but the contrary 

 condition is often apparent. Frequently they 

 wage battles among themselves, in which, how- 

 ever, nobody ever seems to get hurt. They will 

 also attack, without hesitation, almost any other 

 bird that they think is trying to deprive them of 

 their food. 



A very similar allied species, known as the 

 Mexican Ground Dove {Chccmcpclia passcrina 

 pallcscens) is found in the desert regions of the 

 southwest. Their simple nests are often built in 

 the mesquite trees growing along the dry arroyos. 



Ground Doves are seldom disturbed by the 

 people of the country they inhabit ; in fact, many 

 superstitious negroes have solemnly assured me 

 that it would bring the worst kind of bad luck- 

 to anybody who should be so unwise as to kill 

 one. T. Gilbert Pearson. 



Photograph by W. L. Finley 



CourLciy ut' Nat. As^u. Aud. Soc. 



MEXICAN GROUND DOVE 

 She raised her wings and spread her tail in anger 



Vol. II — 5 



