El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-12-20

iOH- you white wingsi am not
Z " paging Mr. White-Wings." the
apparitlon Eowned IN white who
manipulates the broom while mani
curing the streets, t1p sworn enemy
Of the little English sparrow. The
bird I have IN mind Is the white
i winged dove hailing from the state
Z OF sonora. Mexico. a winged Assem-
] bly,. OF combination OF mourning
2 dove, passenger or Wild pigeon, with
I the winged markings Of 5 hooking
+ bird. whose cooling notes are lIkened
I to the first attempts at growing by
a young rooster. with slender body.
/ elongated or pointed wings. this bird
Iapparltion. when flying, fairly splits
7 the afr.
They regularly migrate between
] Snnora and Arizona. are also found
I in Texas, New Mexico and southern
! California Their migration. or ar
rival and departure IS timed by food
Z conditions at both ends OF the route.
They may be eafelv scheduled To ar
Z rive 81 the salt River valley, near
Phoenix, Arlz-, between May I and j..
their coming due in a measure 70
/ climatic conditions.
Go 10 Southern Climes-
Departing about September I, or
Immediately following the first cold
snap, they leave in a body for more
southern chimes. At a point where
thousands OF birds were IN evidence
I the day before, not a bird viii be
found after the first frosty night
! Reproduction Is their SLOGAN immedi-
ately after arrival Thousands OF
nests are constructed IN the MESQUITE
tree. a brush about 5 70 z feet high.
shabby platforms OF twigs lined with
bits o. weeds, moss and leaves. usu-
ally contain two small. white eggs.
Nests are alternately covered by the
male and female They are very pro
lific and a publication OF eggs may
. be found IN the nest every q days
The young birds OF fIedGlinEs
are frequently crowded from the
nest prior 10 the time they ere
able 10 take wing, thar their sue
cesEors and kin folks may be
hntched. The Melopelin nEiafiea
or eWhite-WfnEn are larger than
the mourning dove, hut smaller
than the old TINED passenger
pigeon. now entirely extinct.
They seldom aggregate In large
NUMBER are usually found IN
lnairs, singles or small noclzs Of
10 or less. They nv with great
velocity nj Tnried heights. II the
ndFance bird or Lender g. killed 4
the balance OF the floclz frrGuenf-
y tumble and turn. milling in
circles rs they FolpIane to earth.
presenfiuE IT that time most DIFF
ficuIt shooting.
A shot at a "coasting7 bird Is con-
sidered one OF the most difficult by 4
eTpert wing shots. When a feeding I
field Is located by the white wings /
they are frequently attracted BIZ the I
thousands. A crop IS soon devas- ]
tated unless the birds are shot out" l
requiring the work Of many mint
ersr as they are not easily dlscour- I
AGED from frequenting or occupying I
favorite feeding grounds. The milo /
maise Is an especial dslicacy for the I
sonora pigeon There are times when I
crop preservation by common con-
sent removes the bag limit II is 4
then q question Of ones ability TO /
RAPIDLY reload and select available /
shots as the birds are IN continuous /
transit.
When the hunters are called upon /
70 preserve crops, hundreds OF birds ]
are killed IN a single afternoon "a
red-letter day Cor charitable insti-u-
tions, as thew are bounteously remern-
oeted with the "mal0ings" OF a white
Follow River Bed.
The real test Of shooting ability
comes with the successful NEGOTIATION i
OF a double on the ''fly-wav'' OF the
Souoras, who follow blazed aerial I
trails Of flight. These fly-ways are
about $50 Yards wide. leading from I
their breeding. roasting or feeding
grounds 10 the water holes" TIE
flight frequently follows the course I
or q drv river bed. Their flight IS
steady and extremely rapid unless
they start 10 rOlpl1ne OF coast down
TO feed or water, at which time the
eorkscreu7 effect Is IN evidence u a
double Is cut out at that particular