14 BEHAVIOR OF PIGEONS. 



It seems to me that this mood or disposition, 1 although in some ways appearing to 

 be independent of the disposition to cover the eggs, can best be understood as having 

 developed in connection with the latter. It has primarily the same meaning protection 

 to the eggs but the safety of the eggs and young depends upon the safety of the nest, 

 and this accounts for the extension of this period to cover all three stages, building, 



sitting, and rearing. 2 



JEALOUSY. 



The males of mourning-doves display as much jealousy as the common doves and the 

 ring-doves, driving their wives at the approach of other doves. I have been amused at 

 seeing a male guard his mate. In one instance I had placed a small cage with ring-doves 

 within the larger mourning-dove pen. The male mourning-dove would drive his mate away 

 from the cage to the farther end of the pen, then he would run back to the cage and 

 peck at the ring-doves, and then back to his mate, billing her most affectionately. This 

 behavior he kept up from day to day. Such behavior is a proof of his making a most 

 decided distinction between his "mate" a ring-dove and other ring-doves. 



In the case of a pair of homers I noted that just as soon as the nest-place was settled 

 they both began to spend some time on the nest every day ; copulations were then frequent 

 (about a week before laying). A little later the male began to follow the female jealously 

 and closely if other males were about. This male became so anxious to guard his mate 

 that he would not, in many cases, stop to fight off a strange male, not even from his own 

 stand; instead, however, he kept his eye constantly on his mate, paying no heed to another 

 male, except to drive his mate out of reach of the latter. 



The female bronze-wing, of a pair just beginning to build a nest, came to the floor at 

 a time when several geopelias were strutting about in the adjoining cage; the male 

 bronze-wing, for this or some other reason, tried to drive the female away. In doing this he 

 drooped his wings a little, raised the feathers of the back, and charged at her, uttering 

 a rapid note a "cluck" rolled off rapidly. The charge was made several times and 

 reminded me of similar charges that I have seen made by Geopelia males. 



When a male dove sees another male in the act of soliciting or mounting his mate, he 

 appears to understand instantly what the purpose is, and often makes frantic efforts to 

 intercept the act, giving the danger signal in the loudest and most excited form and flying 

 directly at the offending bird. 3 (R 20, R 4, R 33, R 7.) 



1 This disposition to fight is further described near end of Chapter VI; see topic "Resistance to intruders". ED. 



2 Woods Hole Biological Lectures, p. 326. 



1 If one male sees another male copulating, he immediately flies to knock him off. It is surprising the distance 

 at which the bird will recognize this. If two birds make ready to copulate on the barn, a male which is on the roof 

 of the house will immediately spy them and fly to prevent it. It is not that the intruder wishes definitely to take the 

 place of the first male. His chief aim seems to be to knock the first male off. He then generally struts about and coos 

 to the female, but only in a very general way. I have seen female birds act similarly, but the female's object of spite 

 seems to be the other female, whom she attacks, pecking her head. Espinas says that even dogs do not seem to know 

 when other dogs are copulating, and do not show jealousy. The birds certainly seem to understand what is going on. 

 I think Espinas is wrong in regard to dogs. Dogs seem very peaceable in the matter, yet they seem to know what 

 is going on. You commonly see half a dozen males after one female. Among pigeons, a bird sees and knows what 

 is being done just as surely as you or I do. (Conv. 7/2/10, W. C.) 



