346. THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 

 Family COLUMBID^E. Genus COLUMBA. 



STOCK-DOVE. 



COLUMBA CENAS, Brisson. 



Double Brooded. Laying season, April to August and 

 September; even later. 



BRITISH BREEDING AREA: The Stock-Dove is not 

 perhaps so abundant as the Ring-Dove, and is more 

 locally distributed, nevertheless its numbers not only 

 appear to be steadily on the increase, but its area is 

 gradually expanding, especially northwards. It breeds 

 pretty generally throughout England and Wales, both 

 inland and near the coast ; and is now known to do so, 

 if rarely, in Scotland, notably in Stirlingshire and along 

 the shores of the Moray and Dornoch Firths. The bird 

 also appears slowly to be establishing itself in Ireland, 

 where at present it is known to inhabit the extreme 

 north-eastern portions of the island. 



BREEDING HABITS : The Stock-Dove is a resident 

 in the British Islands, and is almost everywhere, espe- 

 cially in littoral districts, confused with the Rock-Dove, 

 from which, it need scarcely be pointed out, it may 

 instantly be distinguished, even in the air, by having 

 the rump uniform in colour with the back, and the 

 wing bars broken and rudimentary. Its haunts are 

 the wooded districts, especially the old forest areas 

 where most of the timber is aged and full of hollows 

 and crevices. The bird may also be found in quarries, 

 even in treeless districts, and on wooded sea-crags, 

 and even amongst ocean cliffs. This is especially 

 the case in Devonshire, the Isle of Wight, the cliffs 

 of Dorset, and Flamborough Head in Yorkshire. In 

 other localities partiality is shown for warrens and 



