THE PAIRING OP PIGEONS. 31 



eggs into it, and placed all inside the empty box. The male went at once to the eggs, but 

 remained only a few moments, and then came down to his mate. 



I then tried the female to see if she would accept the eggs in the new place. She 

 looked at the eggs with an inquisitive air, but decided to leave them. I then returned 

 the eggs to the first nest and there she at once covered them. But very soon the male 

 came to her and got into the box beside her; this she took as an invitation to leave, which 

 she did. But the male, as before, stopped only a moment, then went to his box and began 

 to work at forming a nest in the hay which I had left there. I then again returned the 

 female to the nest. She was unwilling to enter the box, but I placed her inside and held 

 my hand so as to prevent her getting out. She moved about carefully, noticing the eggs, 

 and finally decided to cover them. The male went on working at his nest. At 8 h 50 m the 

 female left the eggs, and at 8 h 55 m I transferred the eggs to the nest of the male, placing 

 them under him. He drew back a little from my hand but did not leave the nest. Soon 

 after I left him, however, he came off and flew down to the floor of the cage with his mate. 

 At 9 h 05 m I placed the female back on the nest and gave her the eggs; the male went to 

 his nest again, and continued to fashion his nest. At 9 h 10 m I placed one egg under him, 

 leaving one with the female. Both remained quiet, the male working to complete the 

 shaping of his nest, turning round now and then, and placing now this straw, now that. 

 At 9 h 15 m the male left his box and went to the female's. She resigned, but he did not 

 stop but went back to his own nest. I then gave both eggs to the female in her own nest, 

 which she again accepted. At 9 h 30 m I again gave both eggs to the male, taking the female 

 off her nest. But he soon left them. I next transferred the paper box containing the eggs 

 from the box of the male to that of the female, and she accepted the new box and nest 

 here, although a moment before she had refused them in the box of the male. This shows 

 how strongly the "place" of the nest acts on these doves. 



The male soon returned, claiming the box, nest, and eggs. The female retired and the 

 male remained a few moments, then (9 h 45 m ) went to his empty box ; but he now missed 

 the straw and did not feel as if things were right. Still he persevered, and entering the 

 empty box he began to call vigorously for his mate, as if inviting her to make a new nest. 

 This was the first time that he had so called, and it may be taken as an indication that 

 he is forgetting his business of sitting and thinking of a new nest. At 10 h 15 m he is still 

 calling. I give him some strands of hay, which he uses. At 10 h 30 m he flies over to the 

 female, and she retires at 10 h 34 m . The male remains 5 minutes, then goes back to his 

 box, and then to the floor to eat. At 10 h 45 m the male returned to the female's nest, but 

 did not really settle down to cover the eggs, and soon left for his box. I then covered his 

 box so he could not get inside. He then went back and the female again retired (10 h 49 m ) ; 

 he stopped only a moment, then went to his own box and began to call, although he could 

 not enter, and had only a naked flat surface to stand on. Soon after (10 h 52 m ) the female 

 went back to the eggs of her own accord. I was then absent until ll h 35 m , at which time 

 I found the male beside the female on the nest; she retired, leaving him in possession; 

 but he almost immediately flew down to the floor of the cage with the female, picked up 

 a straw and went back, did not stop to sit, but returned to the floor just as the female 

 picked up a straw. She carried this to the nest and then took her place on the eggs; again 

 she was visited by the male and retired as before. 



The male was on the nest at ll h 43 m but again deserted at ll h 45 m . The female carried 

 another straw at ll h 47 m and took her place. The male returned at ll h 48 m and the 

 female retired and brought straws. The male goes off at 1 l h 50 m , prompted by the presence 

 of other doves near his box. The female notices that he is off, and goes back, but has 

 not time to take her place before the male returns ; she again retires, but he flies back again 

 to his box (ll h 58 m ) to drive off the other doves which are in a box close to his and separated 

 only by a wire netting. I then put up a screen so that he could not see the doves in the 



