THE DOVEKIE. 



{ A lie all e.) 



This little bird, often called the Sea 

 Dove, belongs to the family of auks 

 ( AlcidjL'). The range of the Dovekie is 

 quite limited. While the marble mur- 

 relet, a related bird, is confined to the 

 northern Pacific coastof North America, 

 this little bird frequents only the " coast 

 and islands of the north Atlantic and 

 eastern Arctic Oceans; in North Amer 

 ica south in winter to New Jersey." It 

 breeds only in the northern part of its 

 range. It has been observed as far 

 west as the state of Michigan, but its 

 appearance there was, without doubt, 

 accidental, for it prefers the wild sea 

 coast, where the storm and waves bring 

 to it an abundant supply of food. 



It is said to be a rare visitor on the 

 coasts of the British Islands and it has 

 been reported as common as far to the 

 northward as Spitzbergen. In Green- 

 land, where it is commonly found a 

 close companion of the black-billed 

 auk, the native Greenlanders call the 

 Dovekie the Ice Bird, as they consider 

 it a harbinger of ice. 



Though the wings of the Dovekie are 

 small in proport on to the size of its 

 body it flies well and rapidly. One 

 writer states that it will move its wings 

 almost as rapidly as will a humming- 

 bird. It is an expert diver and while 

 swimming or resting on the water it 

 will frequently dip its bill into the 

 water. On the land it is much more 



graceful and walks better than nearly 

 all the other members of the family 

 of auks. 



It feeds chiefly on small fish, Crusta- 

 cea and mollusks and will become very 

 fat during a prolonged stormy season 

 when the waves wash up an abundant 

 supply of crabs and fish. 



The Dovekie builds a simple nest 

 usually in the crevices of rocky cliffs 

 bordering the sea coast. It lays one or 

 two bluish white eggs which are about 

 the size of the pigeon's. 



Mr. Saunders in speaking of the hab- 

 its of the Dovekie says: "On the ap- 

 proach of a vessel this bird has a 

 peculiar way of splashing along the 

 surface of the water, as if unable to fly, 

 and then diving through the crest of an 

 advancing wave; it swims rather deep 

 and very much by the stern." 



The Dovekie is sometimes called a 

 little auk to distinguish it from the 

 larger species of the family. The flight- 

 less great auk, which at one time was 

 common along the north Atlantic coast, 

 belongs to this family. No living rep- 

 resentative of the great auk has been 

 reported since the year 1842. Unable 

 to protect itself by flight it was ruth- 

 lessly exterminated by the zeal of 

 hunters and fishermen who sought it 

 for food, for its feathers and for the oil 

 that could be extracted from its flesh. 



As flying ever westward Night's shadows swiftly glide, 

 The sunrise at the dawning illumes the countryside. 

 The stars in quick succession in ether melt away, 

 Until the brightest planet is lost in glowing day. 



— George Gee. 



167 



