1903
May 20
(No 2)
but with some of the natal down still clinging
to their plumage. They sat side by side facing in the 
same direction with their heads raised & absolutely
immovable. Singularly pretty, gentle-looking birds they
were. The mother fluttered off & disappeared among 
the pines where we got within about 12 ft. of her.
  On the following day (21st) Walter Faxon & I visited
the nest about noon. The thermometer stood at nearly or quite 
90 degrees and the air was oppressively sultry. Yet the old Dove was
actually brooding her young. Of this there can be no doubt
for we got within 15 feet of the nest and looked at the bird
for sometime through our glasses. She did not seem to be
raised above the usual level of a sitting bird although she
covered the young so completely that we could not see a feather
of either of them. Finally she fluttered down to the ground
and made slowly off through the grass & small brush beating 
her wings as if wounded . The young became conspicuous 
enough the moment they were left exposed for they were 
practically full grown and sat side by side with their 
heads well raised. Indeed the effect was that of two
full-sized & fully feathered Doves suddenly taking the
place of one that had just departed. A moment later
one of them flew making straight off through the dense
pine branches out of sight, its wings whistling audibly.
The other young bird remained in the nest but it was gone
the next morning. On the 26th & again on the 27th
Gilbert started these young from the ground nearly
under the nest & on the later date I heard the
old male cooing not far from the spot.