188 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



eggs; when on the ground, a few straws and twigs are used to indicate the nest. 

 The Carolina Dove rears two, sometimes three broods in a season. It begins to nest 

 early. I have taken eggs April 10th; the late Dr. Wheaton found the nest with young 

 as early as the middle of April. Breeding usually continues until September. Dr. 

 Jones states that he had seen Doves sitting on fresh eggs in every month except 

 December and January, and he has no doubt that they occasionally build nests and 

 lay eggs in these months in mild winters.* Two white eggs are laid; there are 

 exceptional cases, however, where more are deposited. Mr. Norris has a set of three ; 

 Mr. L. Jones, of Grinnell, Iowa, writes that he has in his collection a set of four. 

 Mr. P. W. Smith, of Greenville, 111., records several sets of three and four; two sets 

 taken from old robbins' nests. He also found a Brown Thrasher's nest containing 

 one egg of the Thrasher and two of the Dove's.t The eggs are elliptical in shape 

 and average 1.12x.82. 



317. ZEWAIDA DOVE. Zenaida zenaida (Bonap.) Geog. Dist.— Florida 

 Keys, Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Porto Rico, Santa Cruz, Sombero and coast of 

 Yucatan. 



According to Audubon's observations, this species makes its appearance on the 

 islands around Indian Key, Pla., about April 15, increasing in numbers until October, 

 when they all departed for the West Indies, where they are the most numerous. 

 Egg laying is begun about the iirst of May. In Jamaica this species is known as the 

 Pea Dove and in Santa Cruz as Mountain Dove. Its general habits are similar to 

 those of the Mourning or the Ground Dovo, and like the latter species it is more 

 terrestrial in its habits. It nests indiscriminately on the ground, in trees or in low 

 bushes. In trees or bushes the nest is a slight platform of twigs. Audubon states 

 that this species breeds in various keys east of Florida, which are covered with 

 grass and low^hrubs, placing the nest between tufts of grass or on the ground with 

 little concealment. It is built of dry leaves and grass imbedded in a hollow scooped 

 in the sand. 'It is said to be more compact than the nest of any other pigeon. The 

 eggs are one or two in number, white, with a very smooth surface; size, 1.19x.94. 



318. WHITE-rBONTED DOVE. Leptotila fiilviventris bracliyptera (Salvla- 

 dori. Geog. Dist. — Valley of the Lower Rio Grande in Texas, southward through 

 Mexico to Guatemala. 



Mr. George B. Sennett added this Dove as a new species to the fauna of the 

 United States in 1877; the first specimens being taken in the vicinity of Hidalgo, on 

 the Rio Grande in Texas. Dr. Merrill notes it as not rare in the vicinity of Fort 

 Brown, being shy and not very often seen. Mr. Sennett states that in its general 

 habits this bird is quiet and not easily alarmed; it frequents the high branches of 

 tall trees, associating with Jthe White-winged Dove and is less numerous than the 

 red-billed pigeon. By its peculiar note — a low, short cooing — it is easily distin- 

 guished from all other species. A nest was found situated in the forks of bushes, 

 about five feet from the ground, was flat and quite large for a pigeon's nest, and 

 composed of the dead branches, twigs and bark of pithy weeds. Dr. Merrill found 

 a nest on Juno 8, 1878, which was about seven feet from the ground, supported by the 

 dense interlacing tendrils of a hanging vine, growing on the edge of a thicket. This 

 nest contained two eggs which were quite fresh; sizes 1.16X.86 and 1.19X.89, re- 



• Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio, p. 97. 

 t Ornithologist and Oologlst, XI, p. 28. 



