Birds of Britain 



is dark brown above and white below. Length 19 in.; 

 wing 77 5 in. 



THE WOOD PIGEON 



Columba palumbus, Linnaeus 



Whereas in the case of many species one has to record 

 their increasing scarcity and approaching extermination as 

 far as these islands are concerned, with the Wood Pigeon 

 the case is very different. Nesting in the woods throughout 

 the country, where, owing to strict preservation, trespassers 

 are forbidden and raptorial birds shot, this species has 

 of late years increased with amazing rapidity and may be 

 found in winter in flocks of thousands, which often do con- 

 siderable damage to the crops. Although as a rule very 

 shy and wary, it becomes in towns, where it is unmolested, 

 absurdly tame, and it may now be found in the London 

 parks and squares disputing with the omnipresent Sparrow 

 the crumbs of bread thrown out by passers-by. It is 

 curious and interesting to note that it is very conservative 

 in its habits, rarely settling on any of the buildings like the 

 wild domestic Pigeons, which are descended from the Rock 

 Dove, but always keeping to the trees and gardens, leaving 

 its tame relative in undisputed possession of the streets and 

 buildings. On one occasion at least it deigned to avail 

 itself of civilisation, for a nest was recently found in one 

 of the parks composed almost entirely of ladies' hairpins. 



The nest is usually placed on a tree, but sometimes in 

 bushes or hedgerows. It is made of twigs laid loosely on 



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