8 PIGEON TRIBE. 



on the rocks of the Florida Keys, where it breeds in society 

 and when first seen in the spring feeds principally upon the 

 beech-plum and the berries of a kind of palm. From the 

 peculiar selection of its breeding-places it is known in some of 

 the West Indies, particularly Jamaica, St. Domingo, and Porto 

 Rico, by the name of Rock Pigeon. It likewise abounds in 

 the Bahama islands, and forms an important article of food to 

 the inhabitants, — particularly the young birds as they become 

 fully grown. 



According to Audubon, these birds arrive on the southern 

 keys of the Floridas, from the island of Cuba, from the 20th 

 of April to the i st of May, remaining to breed during the sum- 

 mer season. They are at all times extremely shy and wary, 

 remaining so indeed even while incubating, skipping from the 

 nests and taking to wing without noise, and remaining off 

 sometimes as much as half an hour at a time. In the month 

 of May the young squabs are nearly able to fly, and are killed 

 in great numbers by the wreckers who visit the keys. The 

 nest is placed on the summit of a cactus shoot a few feet from 

 the ground or on the upper branches of a mangrove, or quite 

 low impending over the water ; externally it is composed of 

 small twigs, and lined with grass and fibrous roots. The eggs 

 are two, white, rather roundish, and as large as those of the 

 domestic Pigeon. This bird has apparently several broods in 

 the season. His cooing may be heard to a considerable dis- 

 tance ; after a kind of crowing prelude he repeats his koo koo 

 koo. When suddenly approached, he utters a hollow guttural 

 sound, like the Common Pigeon. White-crowned Pigeons are 

 easily domesticated, and breed in that state freely. About the 

 beginning of October they are very numerous, and then return 

 to pass the winter in the West India islands. 



