PIGKOXS AND noVKS. 



189 



Much like till' 9, liiit till- iVulliiTs tii>i.(;il with wliilish. L., ll-sr>; W., .V7'2; 

 T.. .vr.o; n., M. 



hVmiirlM. 'Vho Dov*' is woiiictiiiic.H mistaken for tlic Wild I'i^'con, Imf, 

 ftsidc from the clitrcrciu'fs iti f\:'.r, may always Ik' distiiiu'iiishfil liv its dlive 

 j^rayisli hrown instt-ail of Muisii sluti'-ooior iumi>, the hlack mark below the 

 ear, and otluT ehanieterrt. 



A''j«j/t'.— -North AiiHTiea, lireeiliiii,' from Piiha north to Ontario, (^uehec, 

 anil southern Maine, and wintering' from soutiiern Illinois and Nu\v York to 

 the (Irealur Antilles and I'aiuima. 



Washinjiton, 1'. K. ; eommc^n, exct'i't in winter. Sirit,' Sim;, eonunon S. K., 

 Mel), 'i to Nov. 27; a few winter. <'amliri<l;,'e, oeeiusional duriiij.; summer in 

 tho immt'diatc vieinity of Camhridi^e. 



Xtxt, a flat strui'ture of small twiirs rather loosely put toj.'etlier, on tlio 

 lower hranehes of a tree, ^'eiierally within ten feet of the >;rountl; rarely on 

 the j,'round in the Kastern States, /"^j'/x, two, wliite, l-U" x -^3. 



Doves resemble Wild Pij^eoHs, but are much smaller, and their rapid 

 flight is accompanied by the whistliu;^ sound of wings, while the flight 

 of the Wild Pigeon is said to be noiseless. 



During the nesting season they may be found in pairs, generally 

 in open woodlands or tree-bordered fields. They <ilso visit roads and 

 lanes to dust themselves. The sweet, sad call of the male has won for 

 this speciies its common name; it consists of several soft coos, which 

 may be written : Coo-o-o, nh-coo-o-o — coo-o-o — coo-o-o. U'ldcr favor- 

 able circumstances these notes may be heard at a distance of at least 

 two hundred and fifty yur'l^; they are uttered slowly and tenderly, 

 and with such apparent depth of feeling that one might easily imagine 

 the bird was mourning the loss of his mate, in.stead of singing a love- 

 song to her. 



At this season one or both birds maybe seen performing a peculiar 

 aerial evolution. Ascending to a height of about thirty feet, tiiey fly 

 for some distance in an utiiiatural manner, and then, after a sliort sail, 

 return to their perch. When engaged in this performance they very 

 closely resemble a Sharp-shir.ned Hawk, 



After the nesting season Doves gather in flocks of varying size and 

 frequent grain and corn fields. During the day they visit the near- 

 est supply of fine gravel, which they eat in hr.ge (piantities as an aid 

 to digestion. In some localities, soon after sunset, they regularly re- 

 pair in numbers to some favorite place to drink, and then retire to 

 their roosts. 



817. Zenaida cenaida i lionnp.). Zkvmda T)ovk. ,t(/.— Rears a 

 general rosemblance to Ztuaiilura macroura, but the tail is sciuare and tipped 

 with ashy, and tlio under parts arc deep, rich vinacuous. L., 10"00; W., GIO; 

 T., 3-00 ; B., -OO. 



Jii nge. — Florida Keys, West Indies, and coast of Yucatan 



Nest^ on or near the ground. L'yga, two, glossy white, 1"22 x -1(2. 



n fj 



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