CHAPTER XVII 



MOURNER, MARTYR, WHISTLER, AND 

 DRUMMER 



Mourning Dove — ^Passenger Pigeon — ^Bob-white— 

 Ruffed Grouse 



The Mourning Dove 



Length — 12 to 13 inches. 



Male — Grayish brown or fawn color above, varying to 

 bluish gray. Crown and upper part of head greenish 

 blue, with green and golden metallic reflections on sidei^ 

 of neck. A black spot under each ear. Forehead and 

 breast reddish buff; lighter underneath. Two middle 

 tail feathers longest; all others banded with black and 

 tipped with ashy white. Wing coverts sparsely spotted 

 with black. Flanks and underneath the wings bluish. 



Female — Duller and without iridescent reflections on neck. 



Range — North America, from Quebec to Panama, and 

 westv/ard to Arizona. Most common in temperate 

 climate, cast of Rocky Mountains. 



Season — March to November. Common summer resi- 

 dent; not migratory south of Virginia. 



No sympathy need be wasted on this incessant love- 

 maker that slowly sings coo-o-o, ah-coo-o-o-ooo-o-o-ooo-o-o, 



801 



