592 GAME BIBBS OF CALIFORNIA 



Alameda County, it fii-st appeared on April 23 (1885), and at 

 Berkeley in the same year on April 30 (Belding, loc. eit.)- In the 

 central part of the state the migrant doves arrive about the first of 

 April, for example in the western part of Calaveras County (Roberts, 

 MS), and at Loomis, Placer County (Scroggs, MS). At Sacramento, 

 Neale (MS) says May 10 is the average date of arrival, while the birds 

 are also late to arrive in the northern Sierras : Taylorsville, 3,500 feet 

 altitude, Plumas Count.y, about May 3 (Warren, MS), and at Susan- 

 ville, 4,200 feet altitude, Lassen County, late April to mid-May (Cady, 

 MS). On the northwest coast, at Crescent City, Del Norte County, 

 Prescott (MS) reports that they do not appear until about May 1. 

 East of the Sierran divide there are but two records of importance in 

 this connection. Lamb (1912, p. 35) says the dove becomes abundant 

 near Daggett, in eastern San Bernardino County, after ]\Iay 1, while 

 Ober (MS) states that it arrives in the vicinity of Big Pine, Inyo 

 County, about the middle of May. 



Direct evidence concerning the fall migration is difficult to obtain 

 because of the local movement of the doves, from the valleys into 

 the hills. This being almost coincident with the opening of the hunt- 

 ing season, some persons believe it due to the frightening of the birds 

 in the lowlands where shooting has been concentrated. Some approxi- 

 mate dates of departure are as follows : Crescent City, September 20 

 (Prescott. MS) ; Eureka, about September 1 (Barnes, MS) ; Green- 

 view, Siskiyou County, mid-October (Harris, MS) ; Weaverville, 

 Trinity County, October (Laws, MS) ; Red Bluff, about September 1 

 (Birmingham, MS); Susanville, October (Cady. MS): Taylorsville, 

 Plumas County, October 15 to 30 (Warren, MS) ; Shingle, Eldorado 

 County, September 15 (Gray, MS) ; Sutter Creek, mid-October to 

 mid-November (Parke, MS) ; and Napa, October (Moore, MS). About 

 San Francisco Bay the birds depart from the vicinity of Oakland by 

 the middle of September (Bundock, M.S), and from Redwood City 

 by the first of November (Maloney, MS) ; but in 1884 they were fairly 

 common at Berkeley on December 4 (Belding, 1890, p. 22). At more 

 south erl.y stations, a marked diminution in their n^^mbers becomes 

 apparent in October. 



The Mourning Dove is recognizable by its comparatively small 

 size, conspicuously pointed and Mhite-ma^'gined tail, pale brown lower 

 surface, and lack of white wing markings. From the Band-tailed 

 Pigeon, it may be easily told by its much smaller size, ]Oointed instead 

 of square tail, and absence of white collar on hind neck. From the 

 White-winged Dove it may be distinguished by its slightly smaller 

 size, pointed instead of square tail, and by tlie absence of white 

 markings on its wing. From the Mexican Ground Dove the Mourning 

 Dove may be easily distinguished by its very much larger size and 

 pointed tail. 



