THU ElKG-rOVE. 383 



wing and a few of the greater coverts are white. The quills arc blackish-gray, their 

 anterior webs conspicuously margined with white. The upper surface of the tail is of a 

 bluish-gray at the base, passing gradually into black towards the tip. The legs and feet 

 are purplish-red. The irides, yellowish-white. 



Our Scottish poet, Moir, thus addresses this bird : — 



" Have I scared thee fi-om tliy bough, 

 Tenant of the lonely wild, 

 Where, from human face exiled, 

 'Tis thine the sky to plough ; 

 Hearing but the wailing breeze, 

 Or the cataract's sullen roaring. 

 Where, 'mid clumps of ancient trees, 

 O'er its rocks the stream is pom'ing ? 

 Uj) on ready whig thou rushest 

 To the gloom of woods profound. 

 And through silent ether brushest 

 With a whii'ring sound. 

 Ring-dove beauteous ! is the fece 

 Of man so hateful, that liis sight 

 Startles thee in wild affright 

 From becchen resting-place ? 



" Surely pleasant life is thine. 

 Underneath the shining day ; 

 Thus, from sonow fay away, 

 'Mid bowering groves to pine — 

 To pine with wild, luxurious love, 

 While coos thy timid partner near thee j 

 Flowers below, and boughs above. 

 And naught aromid to fear thee ; 

 Wliile thy bill so gently carries 

 To thy yoimg fi-om field or wood. 

 Seeds, or fruits, or pm-ple berries. 

 For their slender food. 



" Rapidly thou mng'st away — 

 I saw thee now, a tiny spot — 

 Again, and now I see thee not^ 

 Naught save the skies of day. 

 The Psalmist once his prayer addi'ess'd — 

 ' Dove, could I thy pinions boiTow, 

 My soul would flee and be at rest, 

 Far fi-om the world's oppressive sorrow ! ' 

 Alas ! we tm-n to brave the bUlows 

 Of the world's tempestuous sway, 

 AAliere life's stream, beneath care's -willows, 

 Murmui-s night and day ! '' 



" The notes of the ring-dove — for there are four of them, two produced by modidati 

 and two by difference of time," says Mudie, " are soft and plaintive, but not melancholy, 

 far superior to the monotonous croak (it is nothing better) of the domesticated pigeon. 

 It of course varies with the season, but February is the month in which its song begins ; 

 and it gives the preference to pine plantations, especially -when they are not too tall. As 

 it repeats its notes in the early part of the season, and is itself unseen while it does so, 

 there is much interest about it ; and the young ornithologists often listen much and 

 wander far in the coppice, and come home after all without seeing the cushat." 



