Lancaster, Mass.
1902.
May 29
(No 3)
  On the place adjoining the Pansy Farm is a field of
about five acres sloping gently from the road to the edge
of an intervale meadow. A portion of it has been recently
ploughed; the remainder is lying fallow at present
and is devoid of vegetation save for scattered tufts of
wiry grass and regular rows of dead corn stubble left
after the harvesting of last years crop. This field appears
to offer unused attractions for the Carolina Doves. Indeed
it is probably visited at one or another hour of each
day, but oftenest at morning and in late afternoon, by
most of the birds which inhabit the surrounding region
for miles in every direction. They come to and depart
from it almost invariably in pairs and the mated birds
keep near together when feeding although when six or
eight are started at once they sometimes fly off together
for several hundred yards in a rather compact flock
after which they separate into pairs again and pursue
different directions each pair choosing, no doubt, the
course which leads directly to its nesting haunts and
keeping straight on over woods and fields, passing just
above the tops of the higher trees, until lost to sight
in the distance. It is difficult to see them when on
the ground for their backs are of very nearly the same
faded, reddish brown as that of the sandy loam and
although almost constantly in active motion they follow
the furrows and other depressions among the hillocks and
tufts of herbage and carry their heads & necks lowered
to nearly the line of their level bodies. Walking rather
rapidly but very smoothly and evenly, turning alternatively
to the right and left every few steps, picking up
small seeds or grains of sand with a quick bobbing motion
Habits & haunts of Carolina Doves
113