192 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



abundance, and in immediate response a period of in- 

 crease in that species at once takes place. Instead of 

 four young per litter, eight or even nine are born, and 

 instead of producing only two litters during the season, 

 there are three or even four. In bird life, reference has 

 already been made to the increased fecundity of certain 

 species of owls during the vole plagues w^hich now and 

 then take place. 



At all seasons the cushat is very well able to take care 

 of itself as regards food supplies, and to this fact it no 

 doubt owes its great prosperity all over the kingdom. 

 Game preserving, timber planting and the general increase 

 in agriculture are all circumstances in its favour, while 

 its great prosperity would, of course, have been im- 

 possible but for its wariness and never-relaxing vigilance. 

 In addition to which it is a strong-flying bird. 



When I was a boy at school at Oakham I remember one 

 autumn term there occurred some sort of a pestilence 

 among the ring doves in Rutlandshire. We were at first 

 of the opinion that the farmers or someone had been 

 putting down poison for the birds, but later it became 

 evident that the effects were too widespread to arise from 

 individual effort. Repeatedly we found woodpigeons 

 sitting out in the open, their feathers puffed out, the 

 birds apparently sleeping, for they could quite easily be 

 approached and caught. On touching one of these birds, 

 its feathers came out in handsfuU, though as far as I 

 can recollect there was no outward and visible sign of 

 the malady. This is the only case of more or less whole- 

 sale epidemic I have come across in the ring dove, though 

 possibly maladies of the kind are frequent. 



The ring dove is, of course, a very excellent table 

 bird providing it is killed fairly young. Old birds are 

 apt to be tough and bitter, and are fit only for making 

 broth. I have tried many times to rear woodpigeons in 



