16 THE GAME BIEDS AND WILD FOWL 



eight miles was in hard-wood timber, then it crossed a river bottom clothed with 

 arbor-vitae trees, and for the next twenty miles extended through woods of white 

 pine. Over the whole of this vast tract of wooded country every tree of any size 

 contained nests in varying numbers, and many trees were filled with them. It is 

 said, however, that none were placed less than fifteen feet from the ground. The 

 Passenger Pigeon is described as being very noisy whilst building, the sound of 

 such a multitude of voices resembling the croaking of wood frogs. The nest 

 is merely a slight platform of tvngs. Two eggs are frequently laid, but it 

 is said that one is by far the most common number. They are elliptical oval in 

 shape, glossy in texture, and pure white, and measure on an average 1'2 inch in 

 length by '9 inch in breadth. Incubation is performed by both sexes, the males 

 usually in the fore part of the day, the females during the latter part and at 

 night. The sitting bird does not quit the nest until the bill of its incoming mate 

 nearly touches its tail, the eggs thus being constantly covered. Several broods 

 are reared in the season, but a different nesting groimd is chosen for each, the old 

 birds moving from twenty to one hundred miles for the purpose. It is said that 

 five weeks are occupied by each "nesting," when the young are driven from the 

 nests by the parents often several days before they can actually fly. There can 

 be little doubt that many pairs of this Pigeon breed solitarily in the woods, not 

 joining the vast colonies for the purpose. 



Diagnostic characters — Ectopistes, with the tail longer than the 

 wing, and wedge-shaped. Length, 14 to 16 inches. 



