PIGEONS 141 



throughout the United States, and southern parts of Ontario, Manitoba, 

 and British Columbia, migrating to Panama and the West Indies. Migra- 

 tory in the northern part of its range. 



Nest. A frail platform of twigs usually on a flat branch 10 to 20 

 feet from the ground, but also on the ground, on cliffs, in cactus, bushes, 

 and trees as high as 50 feet from the ground. Eggs : usually 2, white. 



Food. Snails and other mollusks, millepeds, cicadas and other insects, 

 grain, weed seeds, acorns, berries, and plant tops. 



The free, swift flight of the mourning dove and the skill with 

 which he manages his airship proclaim him a traveler. As he 

 shoots by overhead he cuts the air with the hiss of a bullet, his 

 plumage almost as compact and smooth as the nose of a mauser, 

 his long tail narrowed to a frictionless knife-blade. As his powerful 

 wings bear him swiftly on, their least turn swerves his course, but 

 he never lessens speed till the goal is reached. After watching him 

 it seems small wonder that he should be a cosmopolitan, bound to 

 no one migration route, but as much at home in New England as 

 Oregon, in Canada as southern California. 



In the dry part of Arizona the doves often nest a long distance 

 from water, but fly back and forth to it in pairs or small companies 

 twice a day. The old mountaineers, knowing their habits, follow 

 them when in search of the rare water-holes. 



Although the doves abound in remote mountains and desert 

 lands, they are also much given to human society, and often nest 

 around barnyards and buildings, where they pick up grain that has 

 fallen to the ground. 



As many of the doves are seen in pairs during the winter, Major 

 Bendire infers that a number remain mated throughout the year. 

 He renders their love-notes as c88, c88, r88; m.88, 8a, 686, 888, 888. 



GENUS LEPTOTILA. 



318. Leptotilafulviventrisbrachyptera(Sa/ya(/.). WHITE- 

 FRONTED DOVE. 



First primary abruptly cut out near end ; tail much shorter than wings, 

 rounded, feathers twelve ; tarsus naked ; side toes nearly equal. Adult 

 male : forehead and throat whitish, breast pale pinkish ; rest of under 

 parts whitish ; back of head and fore part of back iridescent ; rest of 

 upper parts dark brown ; tail becoming blackish, tipped with white ; 

 under wing coverts and axillars deep reddish brown. Adult female : 

 similar to the male but duller colored, and metallic gloss less distinct. 

 Length: 11.50-12.50, wings 6.00-6.50, tail 4.25-4.50. 



Distribution. Valley of the Lower Rio Grande in Texas and south- 

 ward to Mexico and Guatemala. 



Nest. Rather bulky for a dove, made of branches and straw, and 

 placed usually in thorny bushes. Eggs : 2, cream buff. 



Food. Said to be principally fruit. 



The white-fronted dove frequents the timber of the lower Rio 



