102 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL V, January, 1951 
ing. Perkins and Swezey (1934) have ac- 
credited the Lace-necked Dove with being a 
principal agent in the wide dissemination of 
Lantana throughout coastal areas. However, 
the limited feeding on Lantana and the fact 
that all Lantana seeds in gizzards were ground 
up indicates to us that Lace-necked Doves 
may have contributed little to the spread of 
this noxious shrub. Probably of greater im- 
portance in permitting its spread in the Islands 
was the lack of natural checks on this exotic 
plant in its new environment. 
The seeds and fruits of Wikstroemia 
phillyraefolia Gray, locally known as akia, 
were utilized by Lace-necked Doves as 4 per 
cent of the diet. They occurred in 5 (3 per 
cent) of the crops and 3 (4 per cent) of the 
gizzards. The small volume and rare occur- 
rence in the diet are probably related to the 
distribution of akia, which is rare in zone B 
and occasional in Ci. However, on certain 
lava outcrops in zone C2 on Hawaii, this 
endemic species of the Thymelaeaceae is 
abundant and is believed to be a preferred 
food because of its intensive utilization by 
Lace-necked Doves there. The fruits of this 
plant, too, furnish a ready supply of moisture. 
Akia, obtainable during all seasons but most 
abundantly during spring, summer, and fall, 
also ranks as an important food of pheasants 
and feral pigeons {Columha Itvta Gmelin) in 
Hawaii. 
Lortulaca sclerocarpa Gray, or ihimakole, 
formed 3 per cent of the food of Lace-necked 
Doves. It occurred in 17 (11 per cent) of the 
crops but in no gizzards. Both seed pods and 
seeds of this endemic species of the Portu- 
lacaceae are fed upon in zone B, where it 
occurs rarely. 
Dianella sandwicensis Hook, and Arn., or 
ukiuki, grows occasionally in zones Di and 
D2. The crop and gizzard of only one bird 
contained seeds and fruits of this plant, which 
amounted to 3 per cent of the total foods. 
This bird was taken from zone D3 at Kokee, 
Kauai, where the ukiuki fruits abundantly 
during summer and fall. Doves in this section 
have been observed to feed upon the seeds 
and fruits of this species but because of its 
limited distribution and the scarcity of Lace- 
necked Doves in this zone, it cannot be 
considered a major food. This endemic lily is 
an important food of pheasants and Jungle 
Fowls (Gallus gallus (L.)) in this area. 
Sida cordifolia L. and Sida fallax Walpers, 
both called ilima, are indigenous species of 
the family Malvaceae. Because their seeds are 
practically indistinguishable, their utilization 
has been combined as 2 per cent of the Lace- 
necked Doves’ food. These plants occurred 
in 32 (21 per cent) of the crops and 10 (14 
per cent) of the gizzards. The former species 
is occasional in zone A, common in B, and 
rare in Ci, while the latter is common in 
zones A and Ci and abundant in B. These 
species produce seeds abundantly through- 
out the year although during some drouth 
periods production is slackened. They, com- 
bined with uhaloa, provide a desirable combi- 
nation of foods in drier and more barren 
parts of dove range. 
The remaining plant and animal foods 
appear to be of less importance because of 
their small volumes and the infrequencies of 
their occurrence in the diet. However, as 
contributions to variety and to nutrition they 
are doubtless of value. Most plants in this 
group are widely available in areas from which 
birds were collected. In many parts of the 
range there is apparently sufficient food to 
support higher dove populations than now 
exist. 
Grit occurred in 17 crops and 38 gizzards 
and averaged 0.3 cubic centimeter in both 
cases; 10 additional gizzards had traces of grit 
while 23 had none. Both angular and well- 
rounded pieces of feldspar, olivine, basalt, 
quartz, bottle glass, opaline, and round con- 
cretions of hard earth, from 1 to 4 millimeters 
in diameter, were found. 
FEEDING, WATERING, AND ROOSTING HABITS 
Feeding is occasional from an hour or more ' 
after daylight until about noon, when it is 
