No. 3.] 



SENNETT ON THE OEXITIIOLOGY OE TEXAS. 



during the wliole time of my stay, containing eggs and young in all 

 stages of development, but in no case did a nest contain more than one 

 egg or young. The parents are fond and afiectionate, and both assist 

 in incubation. Their food wlien I saw them was chiefly the hackVjerry 

 fruit. 



The young from the (ii:^^, have the upper parts plumbeous and sparsely 

 covered with dark hair-like feathers. Under j^arts are pale and naked. 



The half-grown young have plumage on the body like the adult. 

 Head and flanks do not become feathered until bird is nearly fledged, 

 and in half-giown young just commences to show. From a large series 

 of eggs 1 find them to average l.oo by 1.10, the length varying from 1.60 

 to 1.4.J and the breadth from 1.J8 to 1.03. 



Loraita. 

 ....do .. 

 ..-.do .. 

 ....do .. 

 ....do .. 

 ....do .. 

 ....do .. 



April 9 



Apiil 10 



April 15 



Ai.ril 24 



.Mav 3 



.May 6 



May 19 



Wing 8.00. 

 14. 10 I 24. .50 



14. fX) 

 14. 50 

 14.00 



24. 00 



25. WJ 

 24. (JO 



Tail 5.50, 



7.87 



.5.00 

 5, 15 

 5. 00 

 .5.25 

 4.90 

 5.00 



111. ZENiEDriiA CAEOLEXENSis (L.) Bp. — Carolina iJove. 



Not as common at Lornita as I found it at Hidalgo, but still common, 

 and breeding evervwhere in opcji woodland. But one set of eggs was 

 found on the ground in a corn-field. All the others were in trees and 

 undergrowth. The eggs of this tiij) average 1,06 by ,81 



112. Melopelia leucopteea (L.) Bp, — White-winged JJore. 



More abundant at Lomita than all the other Pigeons combined, and 

 ■when they have begun breeding, all day long the air is filled with the 

 inu.sic of their cooing, drowning out the notes of most other birds. They 

 are the last of the doves to come in the spring, and according to Dr. 

 Finiey, they leave about Noveniber. On April 8, the day of our arrival 

 at Lomita, they first appeared, gradually increasing in numbers until the 

 middle of the month, when the open groves and woods were alive with 

 them. Upon their aixival they proceed at once to .select nesting-places. 

 By the 1st of May eggs were found. They were as tame as the Carolina 

 JJove at the ranch, and were seen daily among the Blackbirds about the 

 corn-crib, picking up the com. The colar of the eggs varies from white 

 to cream, the latter prevailing, and two is the number laid. From a 

 large series the size averages 1.14 by .88; the largest is 1.22 by .03, and 

 the smallest l.Oo bv .80, 



Lomita I April 18 



....do April 2() 



do April 24 



....do ' May 2 



....do I May 15 



