1892. 
Mass . 
Zenaida macroura. 
.July 21. Concord .- nest. They( the young) were to-day feathered over Dove's 
(NO. 2) the hack as well as wings the only visible down being on the nest, 
head. As on former occasions they sat crouched on the nest 
facing in opposite directions and keeping perfectly motionless. 
The parent acted as usual taking a short downward curving 
flight from the nest, alighting on a bush, then risingand dis*t 
appearing. I sat down under a pine about 20 yards from the 
nest and waited half-an-hour. At the end of the first ten 
minutes the parent returned but seeing me flew away without 
alighting and did not again come back. While I was watching 
the. nest a Sharp-shinned Hawk passed on a level with and scarce 
ten feet from it, gliding swiftly and silently on set wings. It 
must have either seen me or failed to discover the young birds-. 
To what fearful dangers are not these helpless little creatures 
exposed. No v/onder they cower motionless on their rude plat- 
form of interlaced twigs. 
I 
July 26. The young Carolina Doves had grown marvellously since my 
last visit. Tlie larger of the two (there was a marked differ- 
ence in size) was indeed nearly fully grown and feathered with 
a tail at least two inches in length. The other bird still had 
the head bare of feathers and tufted with yellowish down. They 
were sitting side by side to-day both facing the same way. The 
mother for the first time was not at the nest (she could not 
very well have covered so large young) but I started both her 
5o 
