CAROLINA DOVE 63 



of the dove's eyes and the meekness of its bear- 

 ing. And though all false beliefs are hurtful, I 

 could almost wish that this one might be gener- 

 ally taught and encouraged, if it might be a 

 means of ending the slaughter of this useful and 

 lovely bird throughout the Southern states. 



Doves are most frequently seen walking — 

 walking, not hopping, with their round smooth 

 heads bobbing prettily at every step — in open 

 woods or fields and along country roads. Every- 

 where and always they are occupied in looking 

 for weed seed. Each single dove will eat, in the 

 course of the autumn and winter, a quantity of 

 the seed of noxious weeds that saves man or boy 

 days and days of back-breaking labor in the field 

 and garden next year. The dove has been for 

 centuries admired as the world's type of inno- 

 cence and gentleness ; but few even of those who 

 love these birds best have realized how great a 

 help their work is to that of cultivators. 



Many Southern boys hail the slow, sweet coo- 

 ing of the Dove in March as the signal for taking 

 off shoes and stockings, just as European peasant 

 children listen for the call of the old-world 

 Cuckoo. But careful elders should warn them 

 that March is unsafe for barefoot-time, although 

 we are too far south to follow Poor Richard's 

 New England rule, "Change not a clout till May 

 be out." Perhaps it would be better to take the 



