344 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 

 Family COLUMBID.^. Genus Columb,\. 



RI NG-DOVE. 



CoLUMBA PALUMBUS, Litinmis. 



Double Brooded. Laying season, March to September; 

 even later. 



British breeding area : The Ring-Dove is a 

 common and very widely distributed species, breeding 

 throughout the wooded or fairly well timbered and 

 cultivated districts of the British Islands. This bird 

 has increased its area considerably within a compara- 

 tively recent period, following the planting and growth 

 of trees. It would also appear to have increased both 

 by chronic and irruptic emigration. 



Breeding habits : The Ring-Dove is a resident in 

 the British Islands, but largely increased in numbers 

 during autumn and winter by birds from the Continent. 

 Its favourite breeding-grounds are woods, parks, plant- 

 ations, shrubberies, and well-timbered lands. It not 

 only breeds in the London parks in gradually increasing 

 numbers, but also frequents wooded pleasure-grounds 

 in many of our smaller towns. Numbers do so in the 

 various wooded grounds of Torquay, for instance. 

 During the non-breeding season the Ring-Dove is 

 certainly gregarious to a very great extent, and even 

 during the nesting period, which lasts practically all 

 the spring and summer, a varying amount of sociability 

 may be remarked. The nests, however, are never made 

 in colonies. I am of opinion that this bird pairs for 

 life. The nest is placed in a great variety of situations, 

 both in evergreen and in deciduous trees (often in the 

 latter before they are in leaf), in large bushes, or amongst 

 ivy on cliffs and tree-trunks. Woods, plantations — 



