THE BAND-TAILED PIGEON. 123 



between the Pigeons and the squirrels not an acorn was allowed to ripen. 

 The acorns were of the scrub oak, Qtiercus nndulata (two varieties), and are 

 extremely palatable. Pigeons were shot not only with their crops full, but 

 with the gullet crammed up to tlie very liill."^ 



Mr. L. Ikdding states: "!' have seen but few of these l)irds in the moun- 

 tains of California in summer, though it probably breeds there, as I have occa- 

 sionally shot young birds at Big Trees, apparently about a month old. They 

 were, at that age, excellent food, which cannot be said of it at any other time, 

 its flesh being very bitter from eating acorns in winter and oak buds in spring. 

 "It is sometimes common in the foothills in winter, Imt never abumlant, as 

 compared with the abundance of the Passenger Pigeon of the Atlantic States."' 



Mr. Charles H. Townsend, in his "Field Notes on the Birds of northern 

 California," says: "The Band-tailed Pigeon is very abundant in tlie foothills 

 of the Lower McCloud River, in the ftxll and winter, gathering in the pine 

 trees on the higher ridges in immense flocks. It Avas very seldom seen in 

 the high mountains in sunnner, and did not appear to descend at all to the 

 valleys in winter. I do not know where it breeds."^ 



Mr. O. B. Johnson, in his "List of the Birds of the Willamette Valley, 

 Oregon," states: "An abundant summer resident, feeding chiefly on berries. 

 They nest in various situations, much like the common Dove, Z. cayoHnensis. 

 I found one of leaves and moss beside a tree, placed on the ground between 

 two roots; another one upon an old stump tliat had been split and l)roken 

 about 8 feet from the ground; another was in the top of a fir (^A. grawVis), 

 and was built of twigs laid upon the dense flat limb of the tree, about 180 

 feet from the ground. These each had two eggs, pure white, and elliptical, 

 differing from those , of Z. caroUnensis ovl\j in size ; a set before me measurinu- 

 1.60 by 1.20, and 1.55 by 1.19 inches" (equaling 40.6 by 30.5, and 39.4 by 30.2 

 millimetres.)* 



Mr. A. W. Anthony states: "This Pigeon is a common summer resident in 

 Washington County, (^i-egon. South of Beaverton is a large sjjring, the waters 

 of which contain some mineral which has great attraction for these PigeonsJ and 

 here they are always found in large nundiers."^ 



Mr. Henry E. Ankeny writes me from Jacksonville, Oregon, as follows: 

 "The Band-tailed Pigeon is not very common in the Rogue River Valley, 

 Oregon, excepting when there is a good acorn crop. In such years they are 

 occasionally quite plentiful in tlie fall months. Only a few scattering pairs 

 breed here; all the nests I have seen have been placed on lind)s of small firs, 

 generally in thickets of these trees. They lay tAvo eg'gs, niid T believe rear 

 but a single brood a season." 



' Mr. William Lloyd informs me as follows: "The Band-tailed Pigeon 

 breeds in the mountains in Presidio County, and occasionally in tlic neigli- 



1 Auk, Vol. Ill, 188G, p. 80. 



^Proceeiliiiss U. S. Natioii.al Museuni, 1878, Vol. I, p. 437. 



'ProcPfdiiif^HlT. S. National MiKsciim, 1887, Vol. X, p. 'JOO. 



^American Naturalist, July, 1880, pp. G;i8, ti:!'). 



6 Auk, 188(5, Vol. Ill, p. 1G4. 



