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they respond to warm waves and speed north in February and March when 
it would be the part of prudence to wait a bit. 
The winter of 1936 was record-breaking in the persistance of low 
temperatures, snow and ice. It was not until the last week of February 
that spring came for a three day visit, bringing with it the first migrants 
and also a mighty flood over the river bottoms. 
After this winter of winters, it was strange to have little birds hurry- 
ing back to us at the first hint of a let-up in the cold, at the first excuse 
ot a few mild days. First came the robins, then killdeer, red-winged 
blackbirds, a flicker, and finally a fox sparrow—my only record for 
February! Interpont was littered and jammed with ice cakes after the 
great flood. It was curious to see bright-breasted robins running about in 
the open places between the ice. It looked like the Arctic, not central Ohio. 
Winter on Interpont was no dull, shut-in season. Whatever the 
weather, the song sparrows called me, and Rex and I were out each 
morning to make our rounds. 
5708 Kenwood Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. 
ft Et ft 
The Dove’s Nest 
By Bruce J. BROWN 
THE MOURNING DOVE is the sole game bird that nests and breeds in every 
state in the Union. 
Strongly related to the now extinct passenger pigeon, it is a narrow, 
middle-sized bird measuring about 12 inches long. While a few of the 
larger ones weigh about six ounces, which is practically as heavy as the 
average bob-white, the usual weight for adult mourning doves is four 
ounces. Its pointed tail is distinctive; other native and established intro- 
duced doves and pigeons have a sawed-off or square tail. Long, pointed 
wings frequently make a characteristic whistling sound when flying and 
the sounds are especially noticeable when the bird is flushed. The wing 
tips seems to meet underneath the body at each downward beat when the 
flight is strong and rapid. 
Each year the dove is subject to a definite breeding season. The internal 
sex organs, upon examination, are found to be capable of breeding during 
only a certain period. At other times the organs are comparatively dormant 
and gestation is absolutely impossible, physically. December 9 was the 
earliest date on which a dove was observed in breeding condition, and 3.75 
per cent of all adult males were able to reproduce on or before December 31. 
After that date the percentage of breeding birds increased rather slowly 
until the latter part of February. Then a rather sudden change occurred, 
resulting in 76 per cent being in breeding condition during March, and 96 
per cent during April. All adult doves were in such condition during May 
and on into the summer. A sharp decline begins in the number of breeding 
birds about, the first part of September, and at the close of the month all, 
or nearly all, have become relatively dormant sexually. No breeding takes 
place in October or November. 
