I^O Stockard, Nesting Habits of Mississippi Birds. \ \^ 



seen June 3, 1S96, and the latest fresh eggs on June 29, 1900. The nest 

 was almost invariably placed at the base of a clump of sedge grass, oat 

 stalks, or a small shrub; it is usually composed of long grass blades and 

 well arched over so that the eggs are only visible from the direction 

 toward which the entrance faces, except in some cases where the roof is 

 poorly made. In large sets the eggs often roll out at the front and sides 

 of the nest so that the bird has difficulty in keeping them all within the 

 nest basin. 



16. Meleagris gallopavo silvestris. Wild Turkey. — The Wild 

 Turkey is still rather common in some parts of Mississippi, chiefly in 

 large deep woods. One may often see them in small droves during the 

 autumn and winter. The nests are rarely found, only two being observed 

 by the writer, and in one of these cases I was conducted to the place. 

 The sets consisted of eight and eleven eggs, slightly incubated in both 

 instances. The first eggs were found May 14, 1895, in Lowndes County, 

 and the second were seen on May 26, 1902, in Adams County. The nests 

 were well concealed in thick weeds and arched over by low bushes and 

 vines near the edge of dense woods. There was a definite path of 

 entrance through the weeds formed by the birds in both cases. The 

 eggs were placed on a few leaves and straws irregularly raked together, 

 forming at best a very droll structure. 



The sites selected by domesticated turkeys where they run on large and 

 wooded ranges are very similar to these, and, excepting the fact that the 

 area is a little more limited, their nests are just as difficult to discover. 

 They go in under dense bushes and vines and almost completely hide 

 their eggs, and any one who has attempted to find them can appreciate 

 fully the masterly manner in which they are hidden. 



17. Zenaidura macroura. Mourning Dove. — This species is ex- 

 tremely common and in fall and winter they are seen collecting in large 

 numbers. Late in summer they begin roosting in company and many 

 hundred come about sunset to their chosen place for the night. During 

 this season they are shot in large numbers while flying to the hedge or 

 small wood that has been selected as a roosting place. 



Doves often nested in small colonies. In a clump of about fifteen 

 young pine trees I once found nine nests, and in an ossage orange hedge 

 about one half mile long twelve nests were located. But most doves nest 

 singly, or with the nests too far apart to suggest any gregarious nesting 

 habit. The nest is scarcely more than a mere platform of sticks, and the 

 eggs are often visible through the floor on account of its loose arrange- 

 ment. In only one instance a nest was found placed directly on the 

 ground ; it was constructed of small sticks and grass roughly arranged 

 and set in a slight depression. The earliest nest was found May 1, 1900, 

 and the latest June 19, 1902. Two eggs always composed the set. The 

 female of this species also leaves her nest in a wounded fashion. She 

 drops in a semi-helpless manner from the limb on which the nest is 

 placed, and flutters along on the ground as if struggling desperately to 



