BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 123 



ORDER, COLUMB^ (PIGEONS); 

 Family, COLUMBID^ (Only Family). 



THE WOOD-PIGEON, OR RINQ=DOVE 



(Columba palumbus). 

 Plate 40. 



We have now to describe an Order the general char- 

 acteristics of which are too well known to require enumera- 

 tion. Four species of Pigeon are native to this country, 

 and all of them are common enough to deserve a place 

 in this work. Of these the most familiar is the Wood- 

 Pigeon, very often called the ' Ring-Dove ' on account of 

 the conspicuous light patches on the sides of the neck. 

 ' Cushat,' ' Cushie-Doo,'' and ' Queest "" are among its local 

 names. 



From early spring to late summer the familiar ' Coo- 

 coo - roo, coo - coo - roo, coo "■ may be heard in nearly 

 every wood throughout the length and breadth of the 

 British Isles, and even in the parks and squares of 

 London and other great cities. The species becomes 

 rather local in the extreme north of Scotland, and is 

 naturally scarce in the almost unwooded outer isles. 



As is typical of Pigeons, the nesting season is long, 

 extending from March till October. Two or three 

 broods are reared during this period ; but each numbers 

 only two, or very exceptionally three. The nest is a 

 flat platform of twigs, and is very loosely constructed. 

 It is usually placed in a tree of some sort, but its 

 height from the ground is very variable. Nests four 

 or five feet above the ground, and nests forty and fifty 

 feet above it, may often be found ; but twenty feet is 



