THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 155 



316 Zenaidura macroura carolinensis (Linnaeus). 



Mourning Dove. 



PLATE 29. 



Adult male. — Length. 11-13. Wing, 5.70-6. Grayish-brown above; crown, 

 plumbeous ; coverts and tertials spotted with black ; under parts, vinaceous ; 

 an iridescent metallic patch on the side of the neck, and a black spot below the 

 ear ; tail feathers, plumbeous, with a black band across the middle ; outer ones, 

 white, terminally ; middle pair, dark brown. 



Adult female. — Duller, with less iridescence. 



Young in first summer. — Similar to female, but feathers largely tipped with 

 white. 



Nest a platform of twigs on the branch of a tree ; eggs, two, white, 1.15 x .80. 



A common summer resident, arriving early in March, and occa- 

 sionally remaining throughout the winter. 



The Dove is in appearance a small edition of the Wild Pigeon, and 

 as it is often hard to gauge the size of a flying bird, it is not surprising 

 that they should often be mistaken for Pigeons. In fact, I have seen 

 an old Pigeon hunter shoot what he was positive was a Wild Pigeon 

 only to have it prove to be a Dove. 



Doves are common about orchards, where they often nest, and are 

 likewise found on the ground in open fields or along the roadside. 



In autumn they collect, sometimes in large flocks. 



320 Chaemepelia passerina terrestris (Chapman). 

 Ground Dove. 



Adult male. — Length, 6.75. Wing, 3.60. Above, brownish-gray, becoming 

 dusky on the tail and bluish-slate on the crown ; forehead and under parts, 

 vinaceous ; breast feathers dusky in the center ; base of bill, red ; tips of tail 

 feathers, white ; inner webs of wing quills, rufous. 



Female. — Similar, but forehead and under parts brownish-gray. 



Very rare straggler from the South. Turnbull says that John 

 Krider shot one near Camden in the autumn of 1858. Krider himself 

 says: "I was out hunting Quail in November, and on my return 

 towards the ferry through a thick pine wood this bird flew up from 

 the ground." ^ 



* Field Notes, p. 50. 



