172 NOTES ON THE 



tricts which I have heard from. They have principally left the 

 country by the first of November, although straggling indi- 

 viduals remain as long as the abundance of mast is uncovered 

 by snow. 



Wilson's estimate of the quantity of food they consume, is 

 one of the most wonderful revelations in the literature of orni - 

 thology. I think it highly improbable that large numbers will 

 ever give material cause for anxiety to the agricultural interests 

 of Minnesota, yet I cannot be assured, for the migrations of the 

 species are exceedingly capricious. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Tail of twelve feathers; upper parts generally, including 

 sides of body, head, neck and chin blue; beneath purple 

 brownish red, fading behind with a violet tint; anal region and 

 under tail coverts bluish white; scapulars, inner tertials and mid- 

 dle of back, with an olive-brown tinge; wing coverts, scapulars 

 and inner tertials, with large oval spots of blue black on the 

 outer webs, mostly concealed except on the latter; primaries 

 blackish, with a border of pale -bluish, tinged internally with 

 red; middle tail feathers brown; the rest pale-blue on the outer 

 web, white internally, each with a patch of reddish-brown at 

 the base of the inner web, followed by another of black, sides 

 and back of neck, richly glossed with metalic golden- violet; 

 tibia bluish-violet; bill black; feet yellow. 



Length, 17; wing, 8.50; tail, 8.40. 



Habitat, Eastern North America. 

 Note — The above was written many years ago since which it 

 has been further verified as correct in tiie older sections of 

 agricultural improvements, but restricted portions of several 

 northern countries have been somewhat annoyed by consider 

 able flocks both in spring and autumn in occasional years. I 

 have neither seen nor learned of any characteristic roosts. 



ZENAIDJRl MACROURA (L ). (316) 



MOURNING DOVE. 



For its species, the Mourning Dove may be said to be fairly 

 comon throughout the brush-lands, and subcommon over the 

 dry prairies. 



Its presence here from the 15th to the 20 of April, is soon 

 recognized by its sad cooing notes, heard from the back past- 

 ure, or along the wayside, through brushy sections in which 

 are small patches of grass They do not usually arrive here 

 in large parties, but often much as they remain through the 

 summer, in pairs. 



