the breeding birds increases. This, of course, is likely to give a false 
impression of abundance. It also makes the birds more vulnerable to 
hunting. 
The heavy shooting to which whitewings are subjected is well illus- 
trated by the following quotation from the Quarterly Progress Report for 
August, September, and October, 1939, Division of Wildlife Restoration, 
Pittman-Robertson Project 1-R, Texas Game, Fish, and Oyster Commission: 
"In the lower valley 1,160 hunters were checked, having a total of 
11,069 birds or an average of 9.54 birds per hunter. Approximately 36% 
of the hunters were visitors and 64% local hunters. After 9 shooting days 
a check of 3 miles of roadway typical of the 25 miles of roadway across 
the width of the San Manuel flight zone revealed 1,305 empty shotgun shell 
boxes. This indicates there were some 10,875 empty shell boxes along the 
25 miles of roadway representing 271,875 shells fired at doves in that 
area in 9 days. Based on field checks that 4.5 shells were fired for each 
whitewing bagged, and that an average of 5 birds were lost for each 15 
bagged, the following estimate of kill in the San Manuel area is made; 
Date Shooting Shots Birds Birds killed - Total 
days fired bagged and lost kill 
September 9 271,875 60,417 » _ 20,140 80,557" 
The statement has been frequently made that most birds of this species 
are found in Mexico and this has been considered probable. To ascertain 
the facts, L. J. Goldman, biologist of the Pacific Flyway, was diverted from 
his waterfowl investigations in Nexico and directed to investigate the 
status of whitewings in Chihuahua while on his return to headquarters this 
past spring. His examination failed to disclose any large nesting popula- 
tion in that state. Because of the urgency of this problem, he has re- 
turned to western Mexico and at this writing is working in the torrid, 
semi-desert areas in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa. Reports thus far 
received indicate a scattering population of whitewings but no large 
colonies such as are known in Arizona and Texas, 
There is, or at least there was, a fairly good supply cf these birds 
in Baja California according to reports from Maj. E. A. Goldman who last 
worked in that state in 1936. 
To supplement his activities in Texas, Dr. Saunders has recently made 
reconnaissance trips into Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. In the large area 
scouted, whitewings were found only in certain habitats of dense woodland. 
Nowhere was the species present in numbers. In some localities a few birds 
were apparently occupying breeding territories but in no instance were 
there more than one or two singing males to the acre and in most cases 
there was only one male to several acres. In commenting on his findings, 
Dr. Saunders cautions against too pessimistic conclusions as these ob- 
servations were made at an altitude of 1,500 feet whereas the colonies in 
26 
