MB. HEPBURN ON THE WOOD-PIGEON. 273 



years afterwards that their value was generally perceived ; 

 a constant supply of food was thus secured. The increase of 

 fir plantations, which are their deliglit, the introduction of 

 the pheasant in an evil hour, about the beginning of the 

 present century, and the strictness with which the woods are 

 guarded during the breeding season, have all contributed to 

 the great increase of wood-pigeons, until, from being altoge- 

 ther unknown, or at all events exceedingly rare, they have 

 become the most abundant, and undoubtedly the most de- 

 structive of all our agricultural pests. I am acquainted with 

 a man, now 60 years of age, whose bird-nesting days were 

 spent in the woods near GifFord, already mentioned, «and he 

 states that the wood- pigeons were then so very rare that the 

 discovery of a nest was looked upon as a great feat ; and there 

 are several people in the parish of Dirleton, who remember 

 having gone to look at a wood-pigeon feeding in a cottage 

 garden during the " long snow storm" of 1791. 



Wood-pigeons assemble in large flocks, and subsist on the 

 gleanings of our fields, in the beginning of the winter, after 

 which they attack the leaves of the red clover, with such 

 severity, that it generally perishes ; and the great difliculty 

 now experienced in growing a full crop of this plant, is in a 

 great measure owing to the ravages of these birds. The 

 leaves of the winter-sown wheat are also sought after, but 

 the leaves and bulbs of the Swedish turnips are their chief sup- 

 port during winter. Personal observation does not enable 

 me to state that these birds can break up a fresh bulb ; but 

 wherever one is broken by hares, rabbits, pheasants, part- 

 ridges, or rooks, they can make a meal on the remnant, and most 

 of these bulbs ultimately perjsh. By stripping off the leaves, the 

 system of the plant is unnecessarily exhausted in putting forth 

 new ones to supply its necessities in spring, and if the crop is 

 allowed to stand for seed, its progress towards maturity is 

 greatly retarded. At all seasons they attend closely upon the 

 sower for the uncovered grains, and after the young leaves 

 peep forth they will, where the land is suitable, dig down, by 

 means of sidelong pushings with the bill, for the remains of 

 the seed. Tares are their favourite food, the pea and bean, 

 wheat, oats, and barlev. The leaves of the two fij*st-named 



