TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES. 99 



Surrounded by the lovely Leona 

 hills overlooking the present me- 

 tropolis San Antonio; the calling 

 of Mr. and Mrs. "Bob-White;" 

 the cooing of the wild doves in 

 the near forests; the chirping of 

 the cicada and cricket in the 

 forest before us; an occasional 

 chaparral cock running swiftly 

 up the rocky hills with a grass- 

 hopper or a lizzard in its beak; the 



And then — the wild doves! — "His 

 Honor" was the crack shot of us 

 all in wing shooting whilst the 

 doves flew high and swiftly over 

 our heads to the near by tanks — 

 and that's a fact. 



During breeding time of the 

 wild dove one can approach the old 

 dove on its nest quite closely — 

 in fact in some instances so 

 closely that the dove can nearly be 



Eggsuckee Nest and Eggs on Bhanch of Persimmon Tree, Nearly Normal Size 



sonorous yelping of a "Tama-ra- 

 ran" or bull frog close to the 

 tank's edge; and the grazing of 

 cattle along the brushy hillsides — 

 all this, and an occasional "Prosit, 

 your honor" made us forget the 

 strenuous city life, and made 

 us feel as happy as the birds 

 in the loyely nature surroundings. 



touched and the phoso view herein 

 was taken at very close range,, 

 a four seconds time exposure. 

 In most instances however, es- 

 pecially before the eggs mature,, 

 the old breeding dove is still very 

 lively and flutters from its nest 

 when accidentally approached or 

 otherwise disturbed. 



