THE ROCK DOVE. 337 



the female sit, alternately relieving each other. . They 

 breed twice a year, but the number of eggs never exceeds 

 two. Hence the old Scottish saying, "a doo's cleckin," 

 for a family of only two children— a boy and a girl. 

 They may be distinguished from the other common species 

 while flying, by showing a large patch of white between 

 the back and the tail. 



THE TUETLE DOVE. 



COLUMBA TURTUR. 



Head and nape ash, tinged with wine-red ; a space ou the sides of the neck 

 composed of black feathers tipped with white ; neck and breast pale wine- 

 red ; back ash-brown ; primaries dusky ; secondaries bluish ash ; scapulars 

 and wing-coverts rust-red with a black spot in the centre of each feather ; 

 abdomen and lower tail-coveiis white ; tail dusky, all but the two middle 

 feathers tipped with white, the outer feather edged with white externally ; 

 irides yellowish red ; feet red ; bill brown. Eggs white. 



Nearly three thousand years ago the Turtle Dove had the 

 distinction of being enumerated among the pleasant things 

 of spring : " Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and 

 gone ; the flowers appear on the earth ; the time of the 

 singing of birds is come, and the voice of the Turtle is 

 heard in our land."* Less sweetly, but to the same effect, 

 sings a poet of the last century : 



*' The cuckoo calls aloud his vvand'ring love. 

 The Turtle's moan is heard in ev'ry grove ; 

 The pastures change, the warbling linnets sing : 

 Prepare to welcome m the gaudy spring ! " 



Philips. 



there is no melody in the song of the Turtle, as it consists 

 of a single note, a soft, sweet, agitated murmur, continued 

 without pause for a long time, called a " moan " f both by 



* Cant. ii. 11, 12. , ^ 



+ " Nee gemere aeria cessabit Turtur ab ulmo. " — Virgil. 

 Nor shall from lofty elm the Turtle cease to moan. 

 Z 



