94 THE BIRDS 
FAMILY COLUMBID/Z.—PIGEONS AND 
DOVES. 
GENUS ZENAIDURA. 
[316]. Zenaidura macroura carolinensis (Linneus). 
Mourning Dove. 
[Wild Dove]. 
Ranex.—North America. Breeds chiefly in Sonoran 
and lower Transition zones from British Columbia, 
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and southern Nova 
Scotia south throughout the United States and Mexico, 
and locally in Lower California and Guatemala; winters 
from southern Oregon, southern Colorado, the Ohio 
Valley, and southeastern Virginia to Panama; casual] in 
winter in the middle states. 
Years ago large flocks of these birds wintered with us 
and fed in the corn fields and on the black peas sown with 
the corn. Of late years, while not rare, fewer birds are 
seen, and then only in small flocks. It is still considered 
a game bird with us, but should be protected, as it does 
the farmer much good by eating numerous weed seeds, 
especially throughout the winter months. The whistling 
noise made by the rapid beating of their wings makes them 
easily recognized, while during the summer months their 
loud cooing is a pleasing sound to the ear. The nest is 
a frail, loosely made platform of twigs, saucer shaped, 
and so shallow that the eggs are readily seen when one is 
on the level of the nest, and often can be seen from below, 
so loosely is the bottom constructed. Two eggs are the 
