THE RING DOVE. 293 



the fields and open places, the Ring- Dove is perhaps as 

 often seen out of the woods as in them, for the greater 

 part of the year at least ; and though a wary bird, like 

 the Stormcock, it is not what we can call a shy one. 



The love note oi the Ring Dove sounds particularly 

 soothing and pleasant as we wander through the other- 

 wise almost silent woods, just as they are about to don 

 their leafy vestures under the gentle influence of an 

 April sun. If the birds be abundant, their low and 

 plaintive note, coo-00-00, coo-oo-oo, fills the entire forest 

 with its murmur ; and yet so wary are the birds at this 

 period, that we seldom or never get a sight of them, even 

 though their notes are heard close at hand. Gentle, 

 indeed, as the Dove is thought to be, still this does not 

 hold good in the mating season, for two male birds will 

 often fight with fury for the possession of a female. 

 But these encounters are only between young or single 

 birds, for I am satisfied that the Ring Dove does not 

 separate when the young reach maturity, and will, if un- 

 molested, breed in one certain locality for years. Again, 

 where the birds are not plentiful, and this matter can be 

 more readily studied, I find that the Ring Dove invari- 

 ably flies in pairs, and remains in pairs the winter 

 through. When the birds flock, however, which they 

 frequently do in thousands, we cannot readily observe 

 this. A pair of Ring Doves have bred here for years in 

 a group of whitethorn trees, and frequent the district in 

 company all the winter, seldom, indeed, straying far 

 away. 



The Ring Dove is another bird often coming near 

 man's dwelling for the purpose of rearing its young ; yet, 

 once that duty accomplished, they leave us and repair to 

 the woods and fields, and shun our presence with a per- 



