ZENAIDA DOVE. 355 



more to the cooings of the Zenaida Dove, he poured out his soul in sup- 

 plications for mercy, and once more became what one has said to be " the 

 noblest work of God,"" an honest man. His escape was effected amidst 

 difficulties and dangers, but no danger seemed to him to be compared 

 with the danger of one living in the violation of human and divine laws, 

 and now he lives in peace in the midst of his friends. 



The Zenaida Dove is a transient visitor of the Keys of East Florida. 

 Some of the fishermen think that it may be met with there at aU seasons, 

 but my observations induce me to assert the contrary. It appears in 

 the islands near Indian Key about the 15th of April, continues to in- 

 crease in numbers until the month of October, and then returns to the 

 West India Islands, whence it originally came. They begin to lay their 

 eggs about the first of May. The males reach the Keys on which they 

 breed l;)efore the females, and are heard cooing as they ramble about in 

 search of mates, more than a week before the latter make their appearance. 

 In autumn, however, when they take their departure, males, females, and 

 young set out in small parties together. 



The flight of this bird resembles that of the little Ground Dove more 

 than any other. It very seldom flies higher than the tops of the man- 

 groves, or to any considerable distance at a time, after it has made choice 

 of an island to breed on. Indeed, this species may be called a Ground 

 Dove too ; for, although it alights on trees with ease, and walks weU on 

 branches, it spends the greater portion of its time on the ground, walking 

 and running in search of food with lightness and celerity, carrying its 

 tail higher than even the Ground Dove, and invariably roosting there. 

 The motions of its wings, although firm, produce none of the whistling 

 sound, so distinctly heard in the flight of the Carolina Dove ; nor does 

 the male sail over the female while she is sitting on her eggs, as is the 

 habit of that species. When crossing the sea, or going from one Key to 

 another, they fly near the surface of the water ; and, when unexpectedly 

 startled from the ground, they remove to a short distance, and alight 

 amongst the thickest grasses or in the heart of the low bushes. So gentle 

 are they in general, that I have approached some so near that I could 

 have touched them with my gun, while they stood intently gazing on me, 

 as if I were an object not at all to be dreaded. 



Those Keys which have their interior covered with grass and low 

 shrubs, and are girt by a hedge of mangroves, or other trees of inferior 

 height, are selected by them for breeding ; and as there are but few of 



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