OF NATURE. 433 



FOOD OF THE RING-DOVE. 



One of my neighbours shot a ring-dove on an evening as it 

 was returning from feed and going to roost. When his wife 

 had picked and drawn it, she found its craw stuffed with the 

 most nice and tender tops of turnips. These she washed and 

 boiled, and so sat down to a choice and delicate plate of 

 greens, culled and provided in this extraordinary manner. 



Hence we may see that graminivorous birds, when grain 

 fails, can subsist on the leaves of vegetables. There is reason 

 to suppose that they would not long be healthy without ; for 

 turkies, though corn fed, delight in a variety of plants, such 

 as cabbage, lettuce, endive, &c. and poultry pick much grass ; 

 while geese live for months together on commons by grazing 

 alone. 



" Nought is useless made ; 



" On the barren heath 



" The shepherd tends his flock that daily crop 



" Their verdant dinner from the mossy turf 



" Sufficient : after them the cackling goose, 



" Close-grazer, finds wherewith to ease her want." 



PUILIPS'S CYDER. 

 WHITE. 



That many graminivorous birds feed also on the herbage or 

 leaves of plants, there can be no doubt : partridges and larks 

 frequently feed on the green leaves of turnips, which gives a 

 peculiar flavour to their flesh, that is, to me, very palatable : 

 the flavour also of wild ducks and geese greatly depends on 

 the nature of their food ; and their flesh frequently contracts 

 a rank unpleasant taste, from their having lately fed on strong 

 marshy aquatic plants, as I suppose. 



That the leaves of vegetables are wholesome and conducive 

 to the health of birds, seems probable, for many people fat 

 their ducks and turkies with the leaves of lettuce chopped 

 small. MARRWICK. 



2F 



