THE WHITE-WINGED DOVE. 559 
same writer, the female sometimes lays again before the young have flown, in 
which case they must assist, perforce, in the duties of incubation. 
The young are delicate creatures, in spite of the fact that they get as fat 
as oysters before they leave the nest. They are fed by regurgitation and their 
food is mingled with a whitish fluid from the adult stomach—*‘Pigeons’ 
milk.” “At night,” according to Langille, “the old one sits crosswise on 
them even when they are quite large, the nest and birds together thus making 
quite a grotesque pile.” 
When frightened from the nest the female drops instantly to the ground, 
and goes off into a series of elaborate convulsions in an effort to distract atten- 
tion from her treasures. From the fact that this trait of decoying is oftenest 
exhibited by ground-nesting species, it is fair to guess that the Mourning Dove 
was originally and exclusively, as now occasionally, a ground-nester. The 
male, also, is pretty sure to be close at hand, if, indeed, he was not taking his 
turn upon the eggs; and when the young are ready to leave the nest he takes 
charge of them, while his mate is incubating another pair. 
In late summer and early autumn the Doves gather into groups or small 
flocks, altho they cannot be characterized as “highly gregarious,” and they 
feed upon fallen grain and acorns, with wild berries, and also, to some extent, 
upon insects. In our State they do not deeply penetrate the timber, preferring 
to spend their time rather in the open fields, or else resorting to some corral 
or feeding lot to share what the cattle waste. At night they roost chiefly upon 
the ground, and if the wind is stirring they seek the shelter of some unused 
irrigating ditch. 
The Mourning Dove should by no means be regarded as a game bird. It 
is true that its flight is rapid and that it becomes very wild under persecution, 
but it is by nature a confiding species, venturing with its family into our 
orchards and shade trees, where unmolested. Its unquestioned gift of song 
ought in itself to be considered ample ground for full protection. 
No. 225. 
WHITE-WINGED DOVE. 
Y 
A. O. U. No. 319. Melopelia asiatica (Linn.). 
Synonyms.—S1ncInc Dove. Paloma cantator. 
Description.—4du/t male: Above grayish brown, becoming grayer on wing 
and bluer (plumbeous) on rump; tail except central pair of feathers plumbeous 
slaty with terminal fourth white; wings with a large transverse patch of white 
on the principal coverts, the primaries blackening; head, neck, and breast light 
brownish gray tinged with vinaceous; sides of neck glancing golden-green chang- 
