THE WOOD PIGEON OR RING DOVE. 331 



And again, still more happily : — 



" Over his own sweet voice the Stock Dove broods." 



The note may be imitated by attempting to whistle, in 

 a very deep tone, the syllables " cooe-coo-roo-o-o-o ; " or still 

 more closely by clasping the hands together, so as to form 

 a hollow, open only between the second joints of the 

 thumbs, and blowing the same words over the orifice. 

 With a little practice so close an imitation may be pro- 

 duced, that a genuine cooer may be beguiled into giving 

 an answer. I may add, too, that with the same natural 

 instrument and with a greater expenditure of breath the 

 hoot of the Owl may be imitated; with a gentler effort 

 and a quiver of the tongue the coo of the Turtle Dove 

 may be nearly approached. 



The Wood Dove has never been considered to be the 

 origin of the domestic Pigeon, nor will it breed in cap- 

 tivity. There is no difficulty, however, in rearing birds 

 taken young from the nest ; and birds so brought up will 

 alight with perfect confidence on the person of their foster 

 nurse, and feed from his hand or mouth. The nest of 

 the Wood Dove is an unsubstantial structure, composed of 

 sticks so loosely put together that the eggs or young birds 

 are sometimes visible from below. It is placed in a fork 

 or among the branches of a tree : a thick fir is preferred ; 

 but nests are to be met with in ivy and thorn bushes either 

 in a wood, coppice, or, more rarely, in a hedge-row. The 

 number of eggs is always two. The male bird assists in 

 the office of incubation. 



