124 Baby Birds at Home 



The peculiar nesting habits of the species 

 under notice have bestowed upon it in 

 Germany the very suitable common name of 

 " Hole Dove/' It breeds in hollow trees and 

 seems partial to oaks, elms, and pollard 

 willows growing on the banks of small 

 streams and rivers. Frequently it takes 

 possession of disused rabbits' burrows situa- 

 ted far away from trees of any kind, and in 

 olden times dogs were employed in Norfolk 

 in order to find young doves in the extensive 

 warrens which are a feature of some parts 

 of that county. Crevices and holes in 

 inland cliffs are favourite nesting-places, 

 but if neither hollow trees nor precipices 

 should be available, the Stock Dove readily 

 turns to account the old home of a carrion 

 crow or magpie. Occasionally it is found 

 nesting in a ruin or old stone barn. 



Twigs, rootlets, and straws are used in a 

 careless way as building material, and fre- 

 quently the bird dispenses with them al- 

 together and deposits its two white eggs on 

 decaying wood, when making use of a hollow 

 tree. 



The young ones do not leave the nest 

 until they are fully feathered. 



