56 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XIII 
numerous too, as I have counted more than twenty feeding with about a dozen 
chickens in a small yard. 
The Inca Dove could never have inspired the term “dove of peace”, as they 
are pugnacious to a fault and fight like little fiends. Two of them will face each 
other with one wing on guard, held straight above the body; then close in and mix 
it, buffeting with wings till the sound of the blows is audible at a distance of fifty 
yards. The bill is also used with bloody results about the head. I have been told 
that one will sometimes kill the other but never saw such an extreme case. When 
arranging for a fight the combatants utter a sort of growl, if it maj' be so described: 
a very guttural, anger-expressing sound. In animated talk, gossip perhaps, they 
excitedly utter sounds something like “cut-cut-ca-doo-ca-doo” . In all, quite a vo- 
cabulary is at their command. In motion they are quick and lively, and have the 
same jerky flight as do the Ground Doves. 
The nests of these doves are nearly always placed near a dwelling or a barn. 
I have never seen a nest more than a hundred yards from a building of some kind, 
and many of them are as close as they can find a tree in which to build. A row of 
umbrella trees close to a dwelling has for three years been a favorite place for nests, 
and also a row of cottonwood trees along the front yard. These two kinds of trees 
are most frequently used, probably on account of their nearne.ss to houses. Mes- 
quite trees and fruit trees are also drawn on for homesteads. The nest is a little 
more elaborate than that of the two large doves and shows more of a depression or cup 
in the center. Rootlets, twigs, grass and leaf stems are materials used in the con- 
struction. The birds are generally quite tame on the nest, rarely flying off till the 
intruder comes closer than arm’s length. I have placed my hand as close as ten 
inches to a brooding bird, but have never quite been able to pet one on the nest. 
They are so accustomed to human presence that the broken-wing subterfuge is 
rarely resorted to. The average distance from the ground, of a number of nests 
was twelve feet and they ranged from seven to twentj^ feet. 
Fighting and cooing begins about the fir.st of February, but the earliest nesting 
date I have recorded was April 11, when fresh eggs were found. The latest date 
was September 25, when a nest containing eggs slightly incubated was found. At 
least two, and possibly three broods are raised during the year. The past season I 
noted four cases where two broods were raised in the same nest, and two cases 
where a last year’s nest was re-lined and used. Two nests found were built on top 
of old Cactus Wrens’ dwellings. 
Though so tame and accustomed to human presence, when caught the dov^es 
are violent in their attempts to escape. I trapped two at different times to have a 
friend take their photograph. I placed them in a cage to await the coming of the 
camera man but they used the same jerky motions to escape that they do in flying, 
and went at it with the same vim that they do in fighting. They were fast injur- 
ing their heads and I released them after a few minutes. 
