VOICE AND INSTINCT IN PIGEON HYBRIDIZATION AND PHYLOGENY. 115 



When the blond ring gets frightened and is pursued it utters a "cry of terror" a pain- 

 ful shriek or groan on being caught in the hand often repeating it convulsively. Sometimes 

 it sounds like a sobbing cry, especially if given when the bird is exhausted and is struggling 

 to escape, but sees no escape from the hand closed upon it. 



The voice of blond rings is shown in several kinds of crowing. There is the ordinary 

 "crow" (song) which the bird makes when sitting on a perch. This crow is not accompanied 

 by any strutting, bowing, or display of any kind. It may have served in a state of nature 

 as a means of calling the mate when separated. It is made on the nest by both the male 

 and female, and also on the perch during the evening, if the birds are awakened from sleep. 

 In the latter case the crow may have the same meaning that the crow of a rooster does at 

 night. It is an assertion of personal rights, rights of perch, nest-mate, etc. The male very 

 often gives this crow in the daytime. Parents in this way call the young to eat. 



Then there is the crow performed before the female (often before males too), which is 

 accompanied by strutting, bowing, and display of form and plumage. This is designed to 

 charm the female and is used in wooing a mate. 



The first efforts with the voice have been noted in blond rings. I noticed that one of a 

 pair of young a bird 10 weeks and 4 days old made two attempts to crow. His voice 

 has changed enough to permit of a rude crow, which an inexperienced person would hardly 

 recognize as such. It is the first time I have noticed such an effort. I take it as a good 

 sign of the male sex. Another blond-ring young, only a day more than 7 weeks old, was 

 seen to crow with bows and display to its mate. The voice was quite imperfect, but the 

 manner was the same as that of the adult. 



A sort of "stammering" was noted in some ring-doves. A white ring (St. alba) male 

 often wakes up in the evening in my study and begins to call, but stammers for a few 

 moments before being able to give the regular call. One of the young of this white ring 

 stutters just like its father. A blond ring (male) in my'possession also stutters in the same 

 way. (R27.) 



VOICE AND INSTINCTS IN HYBRIDS FROM CROSSES OF FAMILIES AND 



SUBFAMILIES. 



A MALE HYBRID BETWEEN A MALE COMMON PIGEON AND A FEMALE JAPANESE TURTLE. 



When this male was 5 months old its voice was studied and the following noted : The 

 "danger-note" is precisely like that ofjthe common pigeon. I think both parents agree in 

 this. The bird also'solicits the female by billing the wing, as do common doves and Japanese 

 turtles. 



The voice is deep, strong, and smoother than in hybrids between the common dove 

 and ring-dove. The "call-note" is peculiar, unlike that of any other dove, although it 

 approaches in form that of the common dove; it differs chiefly in its rapid repetition during 

 15 to 20 or more seconds at a time. The call is repeated slowly at first (for 4 to 5 seconds), 

 then quickened to about two every second. In the course of an hour I several times counted 

 27 to 28 calls in 15 seconds; and once 41 calls in 25 seconds. 



The "nest-call," differs strongly from the call-note and is distinguished from the nest- 

 call of common doves in being hoarse. In the "coo" the motion is up and down, somewhat 

 like St. risoria. The wings are often dropped below the tail, with the quills falling apart, 

 a little as in the ring-dove. The coo resembles that of the common pigeon, while differing 

 strongly. When the hybrid was 6 months old it was noted that the "perch-call" was 

 rather low and hoarse. 



The "display coo" is accompanied by the up-and-down movement given somewhat 

 as in the ring-dove. The tail is dropped down as the head rises, but I have not seen it spread 

 and dragged on the ground, as is the case with the common pigeon. It inclines to lift the 

 feet in cooing, sometimes alternating one foot with one call and the other with the next. 



