A First Glance at the Birds. 



the band-tailed pigeon, the mourning- 

 dove and the little ground-dove, which 

 occurs only in the southern portions of 

 the state. The mourning-dove is the com- 

 monest representative of the order, and 

 its sweet, mournful note is heard during 

 the breeding season the country over. 

 The band-tailed pigeon is larger, and 

 generally restricted to the mountainous 

 regions of California, except during the 

 winter months, when occasional flocks 

 range through the valleys. 



The birds of prey may be subdivided 

 into three main groups — the vultures, 

 the hawks and the owls. Two of the 

 three North American vultures are found 

 in our state, one of these being the Cal- 

 ifornia condor. This unique bird, which 

 is now nearly extinct, is of immense size, 

 about equaling the famous condor of the 

 Andes. It is a great black creature with 

 a naked head and neck, ugly and un- 

 gainly when alighted, but peerless when 

 calmly swinging through the air on out- 

 stretched pinions. 



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