148 OUR RARER BIRDS 



which is seldom gregarious except during autumn and winter, 

 the Stock Dove is social at all seasons, and breeds in colonies 

 to a great extent. I have not unfrequently found two of their 

 nests in the same hollow tree, and as many as six within a few 

 yards of each other, as is the case with Starlings and Jackdaws. 

 The young Stock Doves remain in the nest until they are 

 able to fly, being fed on the semi-digested food swallowed by 

 their parents. They mature slowly, but as soon as they leave 

 the nest appear to be deserted by their parents for ever. 



The food of the Stock Dove, as far as I can determine, is 

 exclusively of a vegetable nature. In seedtime the bird is a 

 regular visitor to the fields of oats and other grain ; and in dis- 

 tricts where the birds are plentiful they become very trouble- 

 some to the farmer. It also eats the seeds of weeds, and is very 

 fond of acorns, buckwheat, beech-mast, and even blackberries. 

 Peas and beans are also its favourite fare, and when hard pressed 

 by hunger it will eat the tender shoots of the autumn-sown 

 grain and the young leaves and sprouts of turnips. The 

 Stock Dove spends the greater part of the day in the open 

 country, on the fields, where it frequently mingles with flocks 

 of tame Pigeons from the adjoining farmhouses. Its flight is 

 quick and light, performed by rapid beats of the wings, but 

 sometimes the bird darts down from the sky on almost motion- 

 less wings into the friendly cover of the forest. When flushed 

 in the woods it hurries off with great rapidity through the 

 trees, flying in and out amongst the trunks with amazing 

 speed and dexterity. It perches in trees as much as the Ring 

 Dove, and may sometimes be seen running along the broad 

 horizontal limbs paying court to its mate. 



In autumn the Stock Dove congregates into enormous 

 flocks, mingling freely with King Doves, and frequenting the 

 stubbles where they search for the scattered grain. The 

 broad corn -lands and bean- fields are the Stock Dove's 

 favourite autumn and winter pastures. There large flocks. 



