COLUMBIA. 219 



Order RASORES. Family COLUMBIA. 



RING-DOVE, Columba palumbus. Common. 

 Congregates in great flocks during the autumn. 

 Is very partial to acorns and beech -mast. 



STOCK DOVE, Columba anas. I have found 

 small parties of these pigeons in the autumn and 

 winter, among the wooded valleys of the Downs. 

 During summer they are not seen in flocks. They 

 breed in the hollow trunks of some of the old oak 

 trees. I have discovered their nest and eggs in 

 such situations at Cowdray and Petworth. 



TURTLE DOVE, Columba turtur. A summer 

 visitor, arriving in May. Abundant in the oak 

 woods of the weald. Rare in open parts of the 

 county at the same season. On the approach of 

 autumn they frequent fields of rape. After these 

 have been cut or " fed off," their partiality to salt 

 prompts them to haunt the sea-shore. They may 

 then be observed in great numbers on the muddy 

 banks near the mouth of Shoreham harbour, and 

 in similar situations along the coast. 



Family PHASIANID.E. 



COMMON PHEASANT, Phasianus Colchicus. 

 Page 163. 



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