54 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XIII 
v^arying distances from the ground. The average height was ten feet and extremes 
ranged from four to twenty-five feet. The only nest as low as four feet was built 
in a mesquite tree and placed on top of an old Thrasher’s nest. This may have 
been a shiftless bird; but I found several others using old Cactus Wren’s nests as 
foundation, and one had made use of a deserted Verdin’s home. 
The eggs are a little larger than those of the Mourning Dove and lack the 
pearly luster,’ the shell looking much like that of the tame pigeon’s egg. Two is 
the usual number in a nest, but July 10 I found a nest containing three partly in- 
cubated eggs. 
In choice of nesting sites the bird shows a decided preference for mesquite, as 
about 70 per cent of nests noted were in that plant. About 20 per cent were in 
willows, and 3 per cent each in cottonwood, Opioitia fiilgida or tree cholla, and 
Prosopis odorata or screw-bean. Baccharis gluten brought up the rear with 1 per 
cent. The dove is usually very wild on the nest, flying off whenever approached 
as close as twenty-five feet. Rarely is the broken-wing play made, though I have 
seen a few mild attempts at it, and occasionally one will allow an approach as close 
as fifteen feet to the nest before taking flight. 
The Mexican Ground Dove, Chaoncpelia p. is a most interesting lit- 
tle fellow in spite of his rather formidable name. He might properly be called the 
“woo-woo bird,” as his note is a single “woo” long drawn out and uttered at short 
intervals. The sound is very misleading, even to a greater extent than that of the 
Mourning Dove. The first time I heard it I started to cross a ten-acre field to 
search for the bird in some trees on the far side. I had gone but a few yards when 
the dove flew from a fruit tree about three rods away, where he had been the entire 
time. 
These little doves are not very gregarious in this locality, but that may be 
because they are present only during the breeding season. Three is the most 
I have seen in a group and that not often. Usually two are together, probably 
mates. They are rather quiet and the call is not heard often, though this may be 
on account of their few numbers in this locality. I have seen but seven nests dur- 
ing a residence of three years here, and have not seen very many of the doves. 
They do not appear to go far from cultivated fields, in fact I have never seen them 
out on the desert, as is the case with the two larger doves. They are most fre- 
quently seen near the river or along irrigating canals, and nest in such locations. 
They are absent from this locality during the winter months, usually making 
their appearance about the middle of March. November 18 is the latest I have 
seen them but they are rarely seen as late as October 20 
In size they are about like the Inca Dove but may be distinguished in the field 
by darker coloration and short tail with black outside feathers instead of white. 
The flight is the same series of jerks as described by Mr. Beebe, who said they 
jerked themselves through the air. I have never tried to shoot one on the wing, 
and imagine it would be a serious undertaking if success followed. I have never 
heard the call given from the ground, but always from a tree or the top of a shrub. 
They are not very wild but their tameness does not approach the point of familiar- 
ity by any means. 
The nesting season is late, as the earliest ne.st found was on July 7 and con- 
tained one half-grown young bird. This nest was in a pear tree and placed only 
two and a half feet from the ground. On July 16, a nest with two young, quarter- 
grown; July 17, nest and two half incubated eggs; September 3, nest with half- 
grown young; September 11, young just hatched; September 25, nest with two 
eggs, advanced incubation; October 8, nest with two nearly fresh eggs. This last 
