306 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
The egg is plain white, much like that of the 
Stock Dove. 
TurtLte Dove, Columba Turtur. The Turtle 
Dove is not an uncommon summer visitor in this 
county: it arrives about the end of April or be- 
ginning of May, and departs about October: there 
is a note in the ‘ Zoologist’ of one having remained 
as late as the 18th of November. It appears to have 
two broods in the year, as I have seen one shot on 
the 1st of September, which could only have just 
been out of the nest, and I have in my collection one 
shot on the same day in nearly adult plumage. 
The food of the Turtle Dove is much the same as 
that of the three last-mentioned species, and it is 
consequently rather mischievous, but as it is by no 
means so numerous as the Wood Pigeon it does not 
excite so much indignation. 
The nest, like that of the Wood Pigeon, is placed 
in a tree or highish bush, and is made of sticks, 
much in the same open loose sort of manner. 
The Turtle Dove is easily kept in confinement 
and will breed: I have known it also, in my aviary, 
cross with the common white Ring Dove (Columba 
risoria): the offspring of this cross are very pretty 
neat birds, not nearly so distinctly marked as the 
adult Turtle Dove, but much more resembling the 
young birds of the year in their first plumage. 
There is, I see, a note in the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1865 
of the same cross having taken place. 
