420 ' The Plover-like Birds 



with the terminal third of the tail lighter in color than the basal portion, the 

 two being separated by a blackish band. In the male there is a narrow half 

 collar of white on the hind neck, the remainder of which is a dull metallic bronzy 

 green, while the fore neck and lower parts are purplish gray or grayish 

 violet, becoming more pinkish on the abdomen. The female is similar but 

 duller and has the collar indistinct or even obsolete. This Pigeon appears to 

 be rather locally distributed, being abundant in some localities, as, for example, 

 near the mouth of the Columbia River, and occurring sparingly in others, but 

 differing in abundance from year to year as its food supply changes. It feeds 

 very largely on acorns, but also on various berries, such as those of the elder- 

 berry (Sambucus) and salmon-berry (Rubiis), and during seasons when the 

 crop of acorns or berries is scanty it may be almost absent, only to return the 

 next season in increased numbers. Their cooing resembles that of the domestic 

 Pigeon and the young are fed in the same manner. The breeding season appears 

 to extend over much of the year, except in the northern portion of its range, when 

 but one or two broods are reared. The nest is sometimes, though rarely, placed 

 on the ground, usually in an oak or spruce from eight to ten feet from the ground, 

 though exceptionally it has been found one hundred and eighty feet from terra 

 firma. Occasionally they may make use of an old nest of some other bird, but 

 when they construct one it is but a rude affair of a few sticks placed on a hori- 

 zontal limb. In the southern part of its range, as in Arizona, it appears that 

 only one egg is laid, but farther north two is the rule. It seems to be established 

 beyond question that when the sitting bird is driven from the nest the egg is not 

 infrequently carried along, being held close to the abdomen by the feet, and 

 immediately on alighting on a limb incubation is resumed without any nest. 

 On this point Mr. O. C. Poling, writing to Major Bendire, says: " In regard to 

 their carrying the eggs about I have, in addition to the cases noted, shot two 

 other females having the egg embedded in the feathers of the belly, arid, further, 

 held by the legs while flying. This accounts for the shooting of Pigeons having 

 a broken egg smeared over the feathers, as I have done when no nest was to 

 be seen." In the Cape region of Lower California there is a well-marked sub- 

 species known as Viosca's Pigeon (C. /. viosca), which is much paler in color 

 and generally lacks the tail-band. Its note appears to differ also, being, says 

 Mr. Frazar, " more like the hoo of an Owl than the coo of a Dove. It is given 

 twice, and is low and deep in tone." 



The Red-billed Pigeon (C. flavirostris) of Mexico and Central America ex- 

 tends north as a summer visitor to southern Texas and Lower California. It 

 is smaller than the last and has the tail of uniform shade throughout, with the 

 head, neck, and breast purplish chocolate, but without metallic gloss. They 

 frequent especially the trees along streams and build a much more substantial 

 nest than is usual among Pigeons. This is generally placed in the middle of 

 vines or well up in trees and next the tnmk and is composed of sticks and quite 

 carefully lined with fine stems and grasses. A single egg constitutes the set. 

 The Tres Marias Pigeon (C. flavirostris madrensis] is a subspecies confined to 

 the Tres Marias Islands, western Mexico. It is of larger size, with a longer and 



