230 



THE OOLOGIST. 



ever, had no water in it at the time. 

 As preliminary to the aflfray, each com- 

 menced walking around the other, with 

 about two feet between them, with 

 ruffled neck and lowei'ed head, moving 

 the same ludicrously after the manner 

 of the common cock. A few turns of 

 this sort and they suddenly changed 

 their tactics and approaching near, 

 each one elevated one of his beautiful 

 mahogany-lined wings perpendicularly 

 from his back, apparently as a shield, 

 and sailed in. Each heat was short but 

 plucky, both often rolling over and 

 over on the ground. As soon as they 

 separated each threw his wing straight 

 up again and I'enewed the attack. Dur- 

 ing one of these clinches both rolled to 

 the bottom of the ditch, but were not 

 in the least disturbed, nor did they take 

 any notice of me, although I was near 

 enough to reach them with my cane. 

 After several minutes of this, one of 

 them seemed to have had enough, and 

 although he would not tly away, began 

 to avoid the onsets. The victor, much 

 inflated with his success, strutted about 

 with bill filled with feathers, of which 

 a goodly number were lost during the 

 tussles. The incessant flashing of their 

 bright wings during the entire time 

 was indeed a pretty sight. 



Another habit of these birds, which I 

 observed, was very interesting. After 

 mating, a pair would approach each 

 other sidewise. place their bills to- 

 gether, then each would turn outward- 

 ly, describe a small circle, and put their 

 bills together again, their heads point- 

 ed as at first. This would be kept up 

 for several minutes with the regularity 

 and precision of a dance. 



The nest of this Dove is placed in 

 shade trees, in gardens and along side- 

 walks, usually at a moderate elevation, 

 and being slight, occupies but a short 

 time in building. 



Both birds work at it, one, presuma- 

 bly the female, remaining at the nest, 

 while the other brings the material, 



which he seldom goes far to obtain.. 

 Dry grass stems, very fine twigs and' 

 a few hairs are generally used. 



When completed, t' e female imme- 

 diately deposits two pure white eggs; 

 the ends of one, in all sets taken by me. 

 being more pointed than the ends of 

 the other. They average .80x.65. My 

 first set was taken on March 10, but 

 half grown young were found on 

 March 5. As I continued to find sets 

 up to the time of my leaving, about 

 June 1st, I suppose several broods are 

 raised . 



I will now close with this Dove by 

 describing a tragedy in which one fig- 

 ured . 



I was standing under some large- 

 cottonwoods, watching a Vermilion 

 Flycatcher, who was working upon her 

 nest, when my attention was attracted 

 by a scuffle which was going on at a 

 short distance from me, and going 

 closer was not a little surprised to see 

 that a Shrike had seized a Dove by the 

 neck and was jerking and thrashing it 

 upon the ground most vigorously. I 

 attempted to rescue the victim, but too- 

 late, it being already dead. The Shx-ike 

 flew away and so I lost also the oppor- 

 tunity of seeing what he would have 

 done with so large a prey. I had never 

 known one to kill so large a bird. 



The White-winged Dove was scarcely 

 seen during the winter but by April 

 they were more common and egg& 

 were found in May and at the time I 

 left they were seen in lai'ge flocks, but 

 the number of nests obtained did not 

 seem at all to compare Avith the num- 

 ber of birds. Their cream colored egg& 

 are well known and I will only say that 

 in that locality, cottonwoods and wil- 

 lows seemed to be their preferred nest- 

 ing sites. This Dove is a large and 

 quite handsome bird and its call is so- 

 norous and far reaching. 



Harold H. Dodge. 



