NO. 15 BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC WAR AREA EAKER 61 



Tlie introduced turtle dove was abundant on Guam and Rota. It 

 appeared to prefer the open country and favored some of the clearings 

 made by war activities. A nest found at Mount Santa Rosa, Guam, 

 in a low bush on June 28 contained one egg and a nestling. Two eggs 

 collected by Necker at Rota on October 31 are white and measure 

 29.6 by 23.0 and 30.1 by 23.0. Weights of five adult males are 130- 

 167 (152), and of six adult females 135-159 (146). There are only 

 very slight differences between the birds of the Marianas and those 

 from the Philippines, from where the introduced stock originally 

 came. 



GALLICOLUMBA XANTHONURA XANTHONURA (Temminck) 



Columba xanthonura "Cuv." Temminck, PL Col., livr. 32, 1823, pi. 190. (Mari- 

 anne Islands.) 



Guam Island: Ritidian Point — i male, i female, i juvenile female, 

 June 28; Mount Santa Rosa — i male, 2 females, June 23, 24, July 2; 

 Haputo Point — i male, i juvenile female, August 21 ; Pagat Point — 

 2 males, 2 females, July 6, 10; Sassayan Point — i male, July 6; 

 Amantes Point — i male, May 28 ; Tumon Bay — 2 females, June 9, 27 ; 

 Oca Point — 2 males, i juvenile female. March 18, April 4, 17; Agaha 

 Swamp — I male, June 2 ; Sinajana — i male, May 20 ; Piti — i male, 

 June 28 ; Pago River — 2 males, July 23, August 1 1 ; Talofof o Bay — 

 I male, June 14. Rota Island : Sosan Isthmus — 3 males, October 20. 

 26, November i ; Sabaanaa — i male, November 2 ; Mariiru Point — 

 I female, October 22 ; Poniya Point — i male, October 25. 



The white-throated ground dove was not observed on the ground. 

 It was found in forested areas, and being a strong flyer, was often 

 seen flying high above the trees and across roads. At Guam, birds 

 nested in the winter and spring months, beginning in late January. 

 Nests were found in breadfruit and banyan trees 50 to 75 feet above 

 the ground. A broken egg was found beneath a tree containing a nest 

 on February 26. A male bird was seen on a nest at Oca Point on 

 March 27 in the middle of the day. On April 3 the young bird from 

 this nest at Oca Point was beginning to fly. Adults with enlarged 

 gonads were taken in April, May, June, and July. Weights of seven 

 adult males are 1 19-154 (130), of seven adult females 96-150 (118). 



A bird, marked female and collected at Guam on July 2, has a light 

 drab breast tinged with light brown and darkening toward the throat. 

 The crown resembles that of an adult female though darker and be- 

 coming lighter and grayer on the neck and nape. The coloring of tlie 

 shoulder and wing-coverts compares favorably with that of the adult 



