474 TURTLE-DOVE. 



generally distributed over the wooded districts, except in the west, 

 to which its visits are irregular. Departure for the south usually 

 takes place in September, but in sheltered situations many birds 

 remain later, and one has even been obtained on the i8th of 

 November. 



During the warmer months of the year the Turtle-Dove is found 

 as far north as Quickiock in Lapland, and throughout Europe ; 

 being especially abundant in the south at the periods of migration, 

 at which time it is also plentiful in Asia Minor, Palestine and Persia, 

 and has been obtained as far east as Yarkand. Its Asiatic repre- 

 sentative is T. oriental is, while the Collared Turtle-Dove, T. risorius, 

 so often seen in confinement, has its western limit in Turkey. Our 

 bird occurs in Madeira, the Canaries, and Northern Africa, as well 

 as in Egypt, where it breeds — though the more abundant species 

 there is T.isabellinus \ its migrations extending to about 12° N, lat. 

 in the Pved Sea and the highlands of Abyssinia. 



The nest, very slightly constructed of slender twigs, is usually at 

 no great height from the ground, on the branches of a tree or a 

 thick bush. The 2 eggs, laid late in May or early in June, are of 

 a somewhat creamy-white and rather pointed at one end : average 

 measurements i"2 by '9 in. The parents take turns in the task of 

 incubation, which lasts about a fortnight, and two broods are some- 

 times reared in the season. The Turtle-Dove is partial to grain, 

 pulse, and seeds — including those of numerous weeds — and, like 

 other members of the family, it drinks regularly. Its flight is rapid, 

 and, when amongst trees, remarkably tortuous ; the note is a low 

 plaintive coo, uttered more especially by the cock bird. 



The adult male has the head, nape, outer wing-coverts, rump 

 and flanks bluish-ash ; a conspicuous patch of white and black 

 feathers on each side of the neck ; mantle chiefly cinnamon-brown ; 

 tail-feathers broadly tipped with white ; throat and breast pale 

 vinous; belly white. Length 11 "5; wing 7 in. The female is 

 rather smaller, and her tints are browner. The young before the 

 moult in September have no mottled patches on the neck, and their 

 upper plumage is suffused with brown. 



Five examples of the American Passenger-Pigeon, Edopistes 

 migratorius, have been shot in the British Islands, but it may 

 reasonably be doubted whether any of them had crossed the 

 Atlantic in a wild state, inasmuch as one at least had evidently 

 been in captivity, while it is notorious that, from 1830 onwards, 

 many have been brought over and turned loose in this country. 



