594 



GAME BIltDS OF CALIFOSJffIA 



reaching in tone. It may be represented by the syllables: ah-co6- 

 roo-coo. ynder favorable conditions the cooing may be heard for as 

 much as half a mile. It is given most commonly in the spring and 

 early summer months, and then at almost any time of day, even until 

 late dusk. The notes are produced by the male, who is described as 

 appearing quite active and cheerful despite the mournful character 

 of his utterances (Biendire, 1892, p. 140). 



As a result of the equable climate of the state as a whole, the 

 Mourning Dove here has an extremely long nesting season. Sixty- 

 six definite records of the nesting of the species within the state 

 are at hand (see table 19), the earliest being February 9 (1897) at 

 San Gabriel, Los Angeles County, when a nest with slightly incubated 

 eggs was found (Willett, 1912a, p. 44), and the Mtest, December 5 

 (1911) at Covina, Los Angeles County, when a heavily incubated set 

 was discovered (Howell, 1912, pp. 73-74). Only the months of 

 October, November and January are lacking in the list, and it seems 

 quite as probable that nesting may occur during those months as 

 during some of the others. 



Table 19 — Data Relative to the Nesting of the Western Mourning Dove 



in California 



14, 1896 



15 



27, 1896 



28, 1912 



28, 1912 



30, 1907 



30, 1896 



Locality 



Near San Gabriel, Feb. 



Los Angeles Co. 

 Three Rivers, • Feb 



Tulare Co. 

 Los Angeles Co. Mar. 



Escondido, San Diego Co. Mar. 

 Pasadena, Mar. 



Los Angeles Co. 

 Near Los Bafios, Mar. 



Merced Co: 

 Near Los Banos, Mar. 



Merced Co. 

 Fresno District Mar. 



Pasadena, Mar. 



Los Angeles Co. 

 Near Pleasanton, ' Mar. 31, 1915 



Alameda Co. 

 Altamont, Alameda Co. Apr. 8, 1915 



Pasadena, Apr. 15, 1892 



Los Angeles Co. 

 Pasadena, Apr. 18, 1895 



Los Angeles Co. 

 Pasadena, Apr. 25, 1895 



Los Angeles Co. 

 Modesto, Stanislaus Co. Apr. 29, 1918 



Near Stockton, May 6, 1882 



San Joaquin Co. 

 Saticoy, Ventura Co. May 8, 1873 



Hayward, Alameda Co. May 12, 1877 



Piedmont Springs, May 14, 1882 



Alameda Co. 

 Cabezon, Riverside Co. May 15, 1908 



Sugar Hill, Modoc Co. May 20, 1910 



Hayward, Alameda Co. May 20, 1878 



Nest Contents 

 Date and Condition 



9, 1897 2 eggs, incubation slight 



27, 1902 2 eggs, slight 



2 eggs, fresh 

 Eggs, fresh 

 1 egg, fresh 



2 eggs 



1 egg 



2 half-grown squabs 

 2 eggs, incubation 



begun 

 2 eggs, about to hatch 



2 eggs, incubated 

 2 eggs, incubation 



begun 

 2 eggs, fresh 



2 eggs 



2 eggs, incubation one-half 

 2 eggs, fresh 



Nesting 

 Nesting 

 2 eggs 



2 eggs, incubation 



under way 

 2 eggs 

 Nesting 



Authority 

 Willett, 1912a, p. 44 



Dean, 1904, p. Ill 



Grinnell, 1898, p. 20 

 Sharp, 1907, p. 86 

 Grinnell, MS. 



Beck, MS., in 

 Mus. Vert; Zool. 



Beck, MS., in 

 Mus. Vert. Zool. 



Tyler, 1913!>, p. 36 



Mus. Vert. Zool. 



Bolander, 1915, p. 131 



Bolander, 1915, p. 131 



Mus. Vert. Zool. 

 Mus. Vert. Zool. 



Mus. Vert. Zool. 



Mailliard coll. 

 Mailliard coll. 



Cooper, 1880, p. 251 

 Cooper, 1880, p. 251 

 Mus. Vert. Zool. 



Mus. Vert. Zool. 



Mus. Vert. Zool. 

 Cooper, 1880, p. 251 



