WESTERN MOURNING DOVE. Zenaidura macroura marginella (Woodhouse)

Field characters.—Much smaller than domestic pigeon, and with a pointed, white-margined tail; upper surface olive brown, breast pale brown. Wings produce a whistling sound, loudest as bird takes flight. Flight, when fully under way, swift and direct, with regular and sweeping wing strokes. Voice: A series of four mellow yet far-reaching notes, ah-coo', roo coo, repeated at rather long intervals.

Occurrence.—Abundant resident in the western lowlands and foothills (Lower and Upper Sonoran zones), ranging in summer locally into lower part of Transition Zone. Twice observed in Yosemite Valley (May 28, 1911, and September 24, 1915), once at Hazel Green, 5600 feet altitude (May 14, 1919), and once at 10,300 feet altitude near Vogelsang Lake, September 4, 1915 (single birds in each instance). Found also east of the Sierras (where likely only a summer visitant), in Mono Basin and thence west to Walker Lake. Partial to open situations; to be seen usually in pairs, or, in fall, winter, and early spring, in flocks numbering up to fifty or even more individuals.

The Western Mourning Dove is to be seen in numbers over the western lowlands at all seasons of the year. On almost every trip we made by train from Merced into the mountains we saw these birds flying over the adjacent fields, often flushing at the side of the railroad and keeping abreast of the train for a time as it traveled twenty or more miles an hour. In all of the foothill country doves are to be looked for as of regular occurrence. Near Lagrange they were about continually, visiting the river margin to drink or resting momentarily on the boulder heaps nearby. At Blacks Creek near Coulterville they came down to drink at the creek every evening at early dusk. In Yosemite Valley doves occur only as stragglers. In our own experience, as noted above, but 2 lone birds were recorded there.

The breeding season extends from April or May well through the summer. Nests are to be looked for in a variety of situations. We found 4. One noted near Snelling on May 28, 1915, was situated 8 feet above the ground in a blue oak. It contained one egg. On the meadows east of Coulterville, at an elevation of 3200 feet, 2 nests were discovered on June 7, 1915. They were both situated on the slanting side of a small gulley that ran through the meadow. One contained 2 eggs and the other, one. On June 8, 1916, in Mono Basin, east of Mono Mills, at an altitude of 8400 feet, a dove was seen incubating 2 eggs in a nest situated on the bare ground at the side of a sagebush.

After the broods are reared, old and young doves combine into flocks and then range far and wide in search of ripening flower and weed seeds, feeding in open fields, coming to streams and springs morning and evening to drink, and roosting in trees or along roadside fences. On June 11, 1916, a flock of at least 75 doves was seen by Mr. Donald D. McLean on Smith Creek, east of Coulterville. The birds were feeding on the seeds of wild portulaca.