CHAPTER LXXVI 



WILD PIGEONS 



Three kinds of pigeons are found in the Broadland, though 

 one, the " blue rocker " or stock-dove, is rare — the two 

 common kinds being the " ring-dow " (wood-pigeon) and 

 turtle-dove. 



The Ring-Dove. 



In the showery month of April the large flock of old ring- 

 doves, who have been feasting upon the freshy drilled peas 

 and beans, or frequenting the banks green with turnips, 

 separate into flocks previous to the nesting ; but even then 

 they love the new-lays, and eat voraciously the young corn 

 just sprouting ; indeed, that is the place to get a shot at them. 

 At this season you may see them flying swiftly. about the 

 covers, looking for a nesting-place mayhap ; for about the 

 middle of May or beginning of June, when the marshes are 

 yellow with crowsfoot and the lokes gay with hawthorn, and 

 the plantings full of their soft coo-rooings, they begin making 

 their simple platform of twigs, placing it high in an old 

 thorn-tree, or preferably a conifer, if such is to be found ; 

 but these trees are rare in the Broadland. And when the two 

 pure white eggs are laid, you may, perchance, see them from 

 the ground through the frail nest. And when the young 

 are hatched and the woods resound with the cooings of the 

 old birds, the farmer is brought under requisition, for his 

 fields are ransacked for peas, beans, wheat, barley, and oats, 

 and thus many fall victims to the watchful gunner; but if 



the field of cloth of golden crowsfoot has been thick and 



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