60 BRITISH BIIiDS' NESTS. 



Eggs.- — ^Two, white, unspotted and smooth. Size 

 about 1*45 by 1'15 in. 



Time. — March, April, May, and June, although 

 eggs have been found in nearly every other month 

 of the year. 



Benicul's — Resident. Notes, coo-roo-coo, last 

 syllable prolonged. Local and other names : Rockier, 

 Wild Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Wild Dove, Doo. A 

 fairly close sitter, and distinguished from the Stock 

 Dove by its white rump. 



DOVE, STOCK. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 thirteen and a half inches. Bill of medium length, 

 nearly straight, and pale red, whitish at the tip. 

 Irides brown. Head, neck and upper parts of 

 back deep bluish-grey, glossed on the sides of the 

 neck w^ith green and purplish-red. Wing-coverts 

 bluish-grey, spotted and marked with black on the 

 greater ones ; quills brownish-grey, turning bluer 

 towards the tips. Rump and upper tail-coverts 

 pale bluish-grey. Tail bluish-grey for about tAVO- 

 thirds of its entire length, then crossed b}^ a band 

 of lighter ash-grey, and the end, which is rounded, 

 of so dark a grey that it may almost be described 

 as black ; the exterior webs of the outside feathers 

 nearly white. Breast pale reddish-purple ; belly, 

 thighs, and under tail-coverts ash-grey ; legs and 

 toes red. 



The female is a little smaller, and her markings 

 are not so well defined. 



Situatioji and Locality. — In hollow trees, rabbit- 

 holes, crevices of rock ; in quarries and cliffs, old 

 Crow or Magpie's nests ; in ivy growing against 



