44 BEHAVIOR OF PIGEONS. 



normally lay in the afternoon. The morning period ranges from 6 h 30 m to 10 h 30 m . 

 The period of greatest activity occurs around 8 h 45 m a. m., as 54 eggs were dropped 

 before this time and 56 were laid in the second half of the period. 



The time of laying of both eggs is influenced by the length of day. It is twice 

 recorded that the first egg seems to be laid earlier, and the second later, in the 

 short days of cold weather than in the long days of summer. This generalization is 

 not readily apparent from an inspection of the table, though the following summary 

 of the data establishes its validity: Of all the first eggs dropped during the six 

 months with the shortest days, 64 per cent were laid before 5 p. m., while 58 per cent 

 were laid after that time during the six months with long days. During the three 

 winter months, 71 per cent were laid before 5 p. m., while in the three summer 

 months 54 per cent were dropped after that time. Of all the second eggs laid in 

 the forenoon during the six months with short days, 91 per cent were laid in the 

 second half of the period, while 57 per cent were laid in the first half of the period 

 during the long days. In the three winter months 100 per cent were laid late, 

 while 65 per cent were laid early during the three summer months. The time of 

 laying is thus influenced to some extent by the length of the day, or by the season. 

 When the egg is dropped in the afternoon, the time is hastened by the early ap- 

 proach of darkness in the winter, while for the morning period the time is delayed 

 by the shortness of the day. This double effect of short days thus increases the 

 interval between the two eggs, and one can notice in the table that the interval 

 for any species tends to decrease with the approach of summer. 



The time for the second egg, and possibly for the first egg, varies with the 

 species. The fantails, satinettes, homers, common and crested pigeons lay the first 

 egg rather late in the afternoon and the second somewhat earlier two days later, 

 giving an interval of slightly less than two days. Zenaidura has one of the shortest 

 intervals, laying the second egg early in the morning. The blond rings and white 

 rings lay both eggs early, while the bronze-wing, on the contrary, is a late layer. 

 The geopelias lay the first egg early in the afternoon and the second one late in 

 the morning, giving them one of the longest intervals among those species that 

 drop the second egg in the forenoon. 



The eggs may also be dropped prematurely, or the time may be delayed beyond 

 the normal period. These facts are evident from the following observations: 



The female of a pair of blond rings, after preparing a nest, took her place on the perch 

 at night and dropped an egg probably in the early morning, but the time is uncertain. 

 I discovered a broken egg on the floor of the cage under the perch where it had probably 

 been dropped during the night. A female white ring mated to a mourning-dove laid a 

 soft-shelled egg from the perch in the afternoon. The female of a pair of mourning- 

 doves dropped an egg on the floor from the perch during the night. A female homer 

 mated with a hybrid laid her first egg normally, in the afternoon, but the second egg was 

 dropped too early, at ll h 40 m a. m., two days later. 1 



1 The normal period of the homer is approximately 2 days, and the author remarks that "I have never known of 

 such a case before. I can not account for the early appearance of the second egg. The weather was unusually warm." 



