588 GAME BISDS OF CALIFORNIA 



daily, weekly, and possible seasonal bag limit should be closely 

 restricted and absolutely no sale of this bird permitted. With proper 

 care the Band-tailed Pigeon may be perpetuated as an important 

 item in the game resources of California; it rests almost entirely with 

 the people of this state to decide whether or not this end will be 

 realized. 



Western Mourning Dove 



Zenaidura macroura marginella (Woodhouse) 



Oti-iek names — Dove; Common Dove; Wild Dove; Cooing Dove; Kain Dove; 

 Carolina Dove; Carolina Turtle Dove; Turtle Dove; Zenaidura macroura caro- 

 linensis; Zenaidura earolinensis; Colurriba carolinensis ; Ectopistes carolinensis ; 

 Zenaidura macroura. 



Description — Adult male: Front and aides of head light yellowish brown; 

 top and back of head bluish slate; chin pale buffy or whitish; small spot below 

 ear, iridescent dark blue ; upper eyelid dusky, lower one yellow ; bill black ; iris 

 brown; hind neck grayish brown, with broad area at side showing pinkish purple 

 iridescence; rest of upper surface chiefly olive brown, a few of the tertials 

 marked near ends with large black patches; tail elongated and pointed; long cen- 

 tral pair of tail feathers in color like back; next outer pair bluish gray crossed 

 near end by a black band; the rest dark bluish gray (black below) near base, 

 succeeded by black cross band, near end, and broadly tipped with white ; outer- 

 most tail feather showing white outer web; outer surface of closed wing (coverts) 

 like back, becoming bluish gray at edge of wing; flight feathers chiefly bluish 

 gray, but becoming brownish on tips and inner margins; lining of wing and 

 axillars, ashy blue; under surface of flight feathers dull brown; throat and whole 

 breast, pale pinkish brown; rest of under surface light yellowish brown, palest 

 on under tail coverts; sides pale ashy blue like lining of wing; feet lake red. 

 Adult female: Like male but with iridescent markings somewhat reduced; bluish 

 slate on head replaced largely by brown ; throat and breast chiefly pale buffy 

 brown. Males: Total length 12.00-12.75 inches (305-324 mm.) (ten specimens); 

 folded wing 5.78-6.13 (146.8-155.6); bill 0.49-0.57 (12.5-14.5); tarsus 0.77-0.87 

 (19.5-22.0) (ten specimens) ; weight 4.28 oz. (121 gm.) (one specimen). Females: 

 Total length 11.25-12.00 (286-305) (three specimens) ; folded wing 5.40-5.82 

 (137.0-147.9); bill 0.49-0.55 (12.5-14.0); tarsus 0.77-0.84 (19.6-21.4) (ten 

 specimens) ; weight 3.98 oz. (105.1 gm.) (one specimen) ; all from California. 

 Juvenile plumage : Similar to adult male, but with colors much duller and irides- 

 cence wanting ; feathers of upper surface lightly tipped with white ; chin white ; 

 top of head and ear region flecked with dusky ; edge of wing scaled with whitish ; 

 breast drab, with lighter feather -tippings. 



Marks for field identification — Moderate size (decidedly smaller than 

 domestic pigeon), conspicuously pointed and white margined tail (fig. 89), pale 

 yellowish or pinkish brown under surface, and lack of white on wing. The mourn- 

 ful cooing note, and the whistling produced as the bird takes flight, are also 

 distinctive. 



Voice — A series of four mellow, yet far-reaching notes, ah-co6-roo-coo, repeated 

 at irregular intervals. 



Nest — On the ground, or in bushes or trees, sometimes as high as forty feet 

 above the ground, but usually six to eight feet up; a loose, flat structure, of 



