COLUMBID^ — THE PIGEONS. 3g3 



vicinity of Fort Steilacoom, and for two or three weeks thereafter their num- 

 bers were daily augmented by arrivals from the north. Some of the flocks 

 that he saw in September, he states, must liave contained at least a thou- 

 sand individuals. He was told that on the cultivated districts on Cowlitz 

 Eiver, at the same season, Ihey w^ere in still greater numbers. By the 5th 

 of October all had suddenly disappeared, except a few stragglers, generally 

 young birds. In their flights, Dr. Suckley states, they are not quite as com- 

 pactly crowded as in the case of the Passenger Pigeon. During the summer, 

 while they were, breeding, their cooing and calls could be heard quite a long 

 distance. The name of this bird in the Nisqually language is " Hubboh," in 

 imitation of their call. In the autumn these birds are said to be excellent 

 eating. 



According to Dr. Cooper, these Pigeons arrive at the Columbia Kiver in 

 April, and frequent all the forests of the Territory until the end of October, 

 when they retire south. They keep about the borders of prairies and clear- 

 ings, and frequently do much damage to fields of grain, though never found in 

 such immense numbers as the common Passenger Pigeon east of the Missis- 

 sippi. In June they lay two white eggs about the size of those of the 

 House Pigeon, on the ground near streams or openings, and witliout con- 

 structing any nests. During the summer they were observed to feed upon 

 wild peas, wild cherries, and other wild fruits and berries, which are very 

 abundant. Later in the season they seem to depend iipon acorns and other 

 nuts. Their cooing is very much like that of the common Pigeon. He saw 

 none east of the Cascade Eange. 



Mr. Eidgway did not meet with this Pigeon in his route from the Sierra 

 Nevada eastward to the Eocky Mountains, along the line of the 40th paral- 

 lel, and it is supposed not to occur in that latitude except near the Pacific 

 Coast. 



An egg of this Pigeon, given me by Dr. Holden, of Stockton, and ob- 

 tained in the Coast Eange, is oval in shape, equally rounded at either end, 

 and of a dull white. It measures 1.49 inches in length by 1.15 in breadth. 

 Another, in the Smithsonian collection, measures 1.55 by 1.20 inches. 



Columba leucocephala, Linn. 



WHITE-HEADED PIGEON. 



Columba leucoceplmla, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1758, 164. — Bonap. J. A. N. S. Ph. V, 1825, 

 30; Syn. 119; Am. Oni. II, 1828, 11, pi. xv. — Nutt. Man. I, 1832, 625. — AuD. 

 Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 443 ; V, 557, pi. clxxvii ; Birds Am. IV, 1842, 315, pi. cclxxx. — 

 Temm. Pig. et Gallin. I, 459. — GossE, Birds Jam. 1847, 299. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 

 1858, 599. — March, P. A. N. S. 1863, 301 (says there are two species). Patagimnas 

 leucocepJialus, Reichenb. Syst. Av. 1851, xxv ; le. Av. tab. 223 and 255. — Bonap. 

 Consp. II, 1854, 54. — Gundl. Caban. Journ. 1856, 107. — Reich. Handb. 64, tab. 

 228, f. 1257, 1258, 255, 2863, 2864. 



