36 PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA No. 9 



onies. Late in the fall they congregate in flocks, often of large size, and spend 

 the winter in such companies, flying from one field to another when disturbed. 

 At this time they frequently become quite unapproachable. a characteristic that is 

 not easily understood when we consider their fearlessness all through the breed- 

 ing season and even after shooting has commenced. The doves almost seem to 

 feel that man should be their protector, and not until countless dozens of their 

 number have been slain are they convinced that their confidence has been be- 

 trayed ; but when once the lesson is learned the birds cannot in any way be won 

 back to friendliness until the approach of another nuptial season. 



The cooing notes that presage the nest-building time are generally first 

 heard in this vicinity during February. In 1906 the date was the 26th, while the 

 next year they were twenty-two days earlier. The present year (1911) they 

 were late again, and they were not heard until February 22. 



In selecting a site for their nest a pair of doves does not seem to be gov- 

 erned either by the proximity to food supply, water, or any other condition, so far 

 as I can determine. As previously suggested they nest in greatest numbers, per- 

 haps, in the willows that border nearly every irrigation ditch, but this may be ac- 

 counted for from the fact that these trees constitute practically the only timber hi 

 many places. Although the species nests commonly on the ground, yet it prob- 

 ably has learned that elevated nests are less liable to be disturbed. Various situ- 

 ations are chosen in these willows, but most often the nest is placed on a large 

 horizontal branch from one to thirty feet above the ground, while in some in- 

 stances they choose the topmost branches, fully forty feet up. 



Peach trees in orchards and fig trees that grow along the roadside in front 

 of vineyards are commonly selected, while almost any kind of a tree is liable to 

 be appropriated at times. The average height is from six to ten feet from the 

 ground. 



While walking through a wheat field near New Hope one morning in April, 

 I flushed three doves, each from a nest on the ground among the wheat, which 

 was at that time only a few inches high and far too thin to conceal the bird on 

 the nest. Numerous nests have been found on the ground in the vicinity of 

 Clovis, some at the base of grape vines, others m alfalfa fields or among weeds. 

 These ground nests consist of a very few straws which, in many cases, do not 

 prevent the eggs or young from coming into direct contact with the ground; it 

 is possible that the warm earth assists in incubation. Nests in trees vary from 

 slight saucer-shaped affairs, scarcely sufficient to hold the eggs, to elaborate 

 masses of rootlets and dry grass stems. 



The earliest date upon which I have ever observed an occupied dove's nest 

 was March 30 (1907), when two half-grown young birds were found. Several 

 nests with perfectly fresh eggs have come under my notice as late as the first 

 week in September. 



Two, and probably often three, broods are raised, the first early in April and 

 the others at any time up to the last of August. After examining hundreds of 

 doves' nests the author can record only two in which the complement of eggs 

 was more or less than two. One of these was a set of three noticed on May 31, 

 1902, but in this case I felt certain that the extra egg had been deposited by a 

 second female, as it was somewhat smaller, more pointed, and of a shade so unlike 



