OorreepondeBC® 
Editor of O. & O.: 
On February 22cl there was brought to me I 
an albino Mourning Dove. The specimen was 
in good feather and condition, being quite : 
plump and fat. The feathers are not pure 
white, but are a bluish white. The specimen j 
was associated with a flock of a hundred or 
more Doves, but was exceedingly wary. I 
skinned the specimen and stuffed it: Upon ; 
dissection I found it to be a female with well j 
developed ovaries. When dissecting any birds 
of abnormal plumage I generally look for tape- 
worms, but none were in it. I have always j 
contended that abnormal plumage was caused 
by the tape-worm, but in this case I cannot 
substantiate my theory. Are albino Mourning 
Doves a rarity ? W. F. Peacock. 
[This is the first that has come to our 
’b'.'&'CT. Wol. 17,May l892 p. 80 
doling Oologisfc* 1540- Dove,, Robin. By George P. Elliott. Ibid., No. 8, Dec., 1884, Auk, VI Wan. 
p. 113. 
Pickens Oo. s- Zenaidura macroura. Mourning Dove. ‘DovE.’-t&l^SftkiL Loomis> 
So. Carolina, common, and noted principally in the cultivated valle ys. Atlk,VTl. Jan. 1890. p. 3fe. 
Young Oologist. 1532. Dove vs. Robin. By Id. E. Deats. Ibid., p. S3. Mourning _A.uk, Vl 1 . dan. 
Dove laying in a deserted Robin’s nest. M 
Large Sets of Eggs of the Mourn- 
ing Dove.* 
V- 
BY PHILO W. SMITH, JR., GREENVILLE, ILL. 
It lias been my good fortune to find several 
large sets of the Mourning Dove, (Zenaidura 
caroUnensis.) My first set of three eggs was taken 
in 1883 ; the second in 1884, and four sets of three 
eggs each in 1885. I will only describe those 
taken in 1885. The first set was taken April 10 ; 
the second April 29 ; the third June 15, and the 
fourth June 20. Two of the sets were taken 
from old Robin’s nests, the other two from Dove 
nests of the usual construction and material. 
The birds were flushed from their nests in every 
instance. In sets Nos. 2 and 3, one of the eggs 
was considerably smaller than the others of the 
set. In the other two sets there was no more 
than the usual variation in size, and shape, and 
on blowing the eggs they all appeared fertile 
with the exception of one egg in set No. 4, (the 
smaller egg.) In collecting I also came across a 
Brown Thrasher’s nest containing one egg of the 
Thrush and two of the Dove’s. Also a Robin’s 
nest with one of the Robin’s and one of the Dove’s. 
In both instances the Dove was flushed from the 
nest. Being unable to visit the locality again I 
did not have the pleasure of watching the old 
Dove feeding and caring for her foster children, 
(provided the Robin and Brown Thrasher eggs 
w r ere hatched.) The question that arises in my 
mind is whether the Robin and Brown Thrasher 
had deserted their nest:, or whether the Doves 
appropriated the nests while their owners were 
absent. In the case of the large sets of Dove’s 
eggs, did the same bird lay all three eggs, or did 
Dove No. 2 take possession while No. 1 was ab- 
sent ? I should like to hear from others on this 
subject. 
'From OOlogical Department, 
O.&O. XI. Feb. 1886. p. 2 *. 
