96 TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES. 



its own nest of a few dried grass 

 helmets or leaves of the mesquite 

 tree, and the photo of one such 

 nest with two young doves about 

 ready to escape the nest, illustrates 

 this plainly. Shortly after these 

 observations I related these facts 

 to an experienced hunter and 

 close observer of nature objects, 

 and he tells me the same experience 



that they breed several times 

 during the summer season, and 

 this explains the immense numbers 

 during the fall and winter time 

 when the young and older birds 

 migrate to all directions over the 

 country and locate in some field 

 or pasture to gather their food. 



The young birds, those not able 

 to fly from their breeding nest, 



A Pair of Young Doves on Mesquite Pork, Ready to Escape the Nest ' 

 (Prom Nature, by the Writer) 



and that he noticed the female 

 dove building its own nest inside 

 some old abandoned bird nest. 

 Such double nests of course give 

 the breeding dove more shelter 

 and protection. 



From the large numbers of wild 

 doves throughout the prairie plains 

 during the long term of their 

 breeding time, it is very plausible 



often succumb during stormy wea- 

 ther, or being destroyed by wild 

 animals and vandals and snakes, 

 and occasionally, near farms, by 

 the house cat. When very young 

 the wild dove resembles closely 

 the small variety, the so-called 

 Mexican; dove or turtle dove, 

 though they are not quite as 

 much speckled. 



