70 BEHAVIOR OF PIGEONS. 



was anxious to eat before returning, and hence expressed her want in the short guttural 

 oo sound. This sound was made with the mouth closed, and was repeated rather quickly 

 several times as she stood looking expectantly for me to give her food. As soon as I did 

 so she fed and I heard no more from her. I heard the same sound, only stronger, from a 

 bronze-wing kept in the basement of my home, and on looking I found the bird had neither 

 water nor seed. 



The female referred to above called again for food 6 days later, and came to the side 

 of the cage nearest me and tried to get through. I then learned that she repeats the call 

 at a rate of two to three notes a second, and sometimes she brings her effort to an end with 

 several notes cut short and run off close together as rapidly as the tip of the tongue vibrates 

 in giving the sound of r. Thirteen days still later I saw this female go to her nest 

 and use this same call to her mate to leave the nest; she then "wanted to feed the young." 



FEEDING-CALL OF BRONZE-WING. 



A female bronze-wing was heard calling, and at the same time it was noted that her 

 young also were calling for food. Glancing at them, I found that the old bird's note was 

 given as the young reached up towards her beak to be fed. She repeated the call several 

 times before taking the beak of the young. The note was essentially the same as the nest- 

 call for straw. A week later at 9 a. m., I saw the female feeding her young. With every 

 shake she gave the usual call, but it was very low, as if half-suppressed and it was given 

 without dropping the beak of the young; i.e, the calling was continued while feeding, 

 only very quietly. In ring-doves and other species I have heard feeding-calls given while 

 in the act of feeding, and have observed that this is often an expression of the "satisfac- 

 tion of the old bird in the process." 



RESISTANCE TO INTRUDERS. 1 



A detailed record, made on two different days, of the behavior of the bronze-wing in 

 resisting a hand directed toward the incubating bird, is given herewith: (1) I move my 

 hand slowly towards the bird, on a level with the top of the nest-box never above the 

 bird, as that alarms her too much. As the hand comes within a few inches of the nest- 

 box, she places herself sidewise or at right angles to the line of approach, gives a growl, 

 and raises her wings straight up, prepared to strike if approached more closely. By moving 

 the hand very slowly, and taking care to move steadily, without jerks, she may permit 

 me to get my hand within 3 or 4 inches of the eggs, but she is afraid and retreats enough to 

 allow a sight of one or both eggs. Usually, however, she strikes several times sharply if 

 the hand comes within an inch of the eggs. In all this she is in a threatening attitude, with 

 wing ready to deliver a quick blow, and she growls more often and viciously the nearer 

 you get to her. Between growls she "puffs" like a young dove that is old enough to be 

 frightened when approached. She may permit you to touch the eggs without being fright- 

 ened off, but she protests with vigorous growls and blows from the wing. (2) As I 

 approach the female with my hand, she is careful when she strikes with her wing not to 

 stir her feet and thus endanger the young resting between her legs. Her growl is a rough 

 rumbling, guttural sound, in making which the bird opens its beak but slightly and raises 

 both wings over its back; the feathers of the back, including the upper tail-coverts, are 

 raised, reminding one of the way a dog "bristles." The tail also is more or less spread 

 and held horizontally, or raised very slightly and rigidly. 



A "growl of warning" is given by the bronze-wings when the bird is nesting eggs, 

 and the same note is still more strongly given after the eggs are hatched. The note of 

 threat is a growl, or better, a grunt, expressing fear and a disposition to resist intrusion 

 to the nest. It is made when one puts his hand near the nest. 



1 See topic on "Periodicity of Disposition to Fight," Chapter I. EDITOR. 



