CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 249 



and streaked with several shades of dark grey and 

 pale brown." (H.S.) 



CASE 53. 



THE WOODPIGEON AND ROCK 



PIGEON. 

 Order, Columbce. " Family, Columbidce. 



The Woodpigeon. 



The Woodpigeon, or Ring Dove, is a resident 

 species, and its numbers are supplemented by large 

 flocks which arrive in the autumn and winter months 

 from the Continent. In the spring it pairs for 

 breeding purposes, but in the winter it is gregarious. 



I am afraid the farmer does not regard this species 

 as anything but an enemy to his crops, for it is 

 a great destroyer of them, doing an immense 

 amount of damage, being fond of various kinds of 

 grain, turnip tops, swedes, clover, etc. It is very 

 partial to acorns, and Mr. W. H. Hudson in his list 

 gives gooseberries. 



The nest is formed of a few twigs placed generally 

 in a fairly high tree. Two eggs are laid of a shiny 

 white colour. The Woodpigeon appears to have 

 increased considerably in numbers, "especially in the 

 Lothians, where the bird was unknown a century 

 ago." (H.S.) 



The increase in the species may possibly in some 

 measure be due to the extermination of birds of prey 



R 



