182 BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



OKDEK COLUMBiE. 



FAMILY COLUMBID^.— GENUS COLUMBA. 



EING-DOVE. 



CoLUMBA PALUMBUS, Liniifeus. 



Local Names — Wood-Pigeon, Stock-Dove, Cnsliie, Cushat 

 (often pronounced Coicsliot). 



The Ring-Dove is a resident species, and is universally 

 distributed ; becoming very common wherever there are 

 suitable woods, and breeding numerously. In the grain 

 districts it is very destructive, coming in flocks, often of 

 thousands, and feeding in spring on the newly-sown 

 fields, and in autumn on the ripe beans and other crops : 

 Mr. Hugh P. Hornby, in a specimen killed on October 

 30, 1872, found as many as eighty beans. It is an 

 early breeder, and the first clutch of eggs — for two or 

 three broods are hatched during the season — is generally 

 laid in the beginning of April. The number of eggs is 

 two (very rarely one or three), and incubation, the duties 

 of which are shared by both birds, sometimes commences 

 immediately the first egg is laid, young of different sizes 

 being not uncommonly found in the same nest. The 

 nest is never placed at a very great height, and is usually 

 a very slovenly structure, l)ut in some cases considerable 

 care is taken in forming a neat depression in the sticks 

 which compose it, and in lining this with finer twigs. 

 When the Ring-Dove is disturbed whilst sitting, or after 



