THE ZENAIDA DOVE. 
11 
low bushes. So gentle are they in general, that I have approached some so 
near that I could have touched them with my gun, while they stood intently 
gazing on me, as if I were an object not at all to be dreaded. 
Those Keys which have their interior covered with grass and low shrubs, 
and are girt by a hedge of mangroves, or other trees of inferior height, are 
selected by them for breeding; and as there arc but few of this description, 
their places of resort arc well known, and are called Pigeon or “ Dove Keys.'' 
It would be useless to search for them elsewhere. They are by no means 
so abundant as the White-headed Pigeons, which place their nest on any 
kind of tree, even on those whose roots are constantly submersed. Groups 
of such trees occur of considerable extent, and arc called “ Wet Keys.” 
The Zcnaida Dove always places her nest on the ground, sometimes art- 
lessly at the foot of a low bush, and so exposed that it is easily discovered 
by any one searching for it. Sometimes, however, it uses great discrimina- 
tion, placing it between two or more tufts of grass, the tops of which it 
manages to bend over, so as completely to conceal it. The sand is slightly 
scooped out, and the nest is composed of slender dried blades of grass, matted 
in a circular form, and imbedded amid dry leaves and twigs. The fabric is 
more compact than the nest of any other Pigeon with which I am acquainted, 
it being sufficiently solid to enable a person to carry the eggs or young in it 
with security. The eggs arc two, pure white, and translucent. When 
sitting on them, or when her young are still small, this bird rarely removes 
from them, unless an attempt be made to catch her, which she, however, 
evades with great dexterity. On several occasions of this kind, I have 
thought that the next moment would render me the possessor of one of tliess 
Doves alive. Her beautiful eye was steadily bent on mine, in which she 
must have discovered my intention, her body was gently made to retire 
sidewise to the further edge of her nest, as my hand drew nearer to her, and 
just as I thought I had hold of her, off she glided with the quickness of 
thought, taking to wing at once. She w'ould then alight within a few yards 
of me, and watch my motions with so much sorrow, that her wings drooped, 
and her whole frame trembled as if suffering from intense cold. Who could 
stand such a scene of despair? I left the mother to her eggs or offspring. 
On one occasion, however, I found two young birds of this species about 
half grown, which I carried off, and afterwards took to Charleston, in South 
Carolina, and presented to my worthy friend the Rev. John Bachman. 
When 1 robbed this nest, no parent bird was near. The little ones uttered 
the usual lisping notes of the tribe at this age, and as I put their bills in my 
mouth, I discovered that they might be easily raised. They were afterwards 
fed from the mouth with Indian corn meal, which they received with 
