COMMON BRITISH BIRDS 19 



DIPPER. (R. Dippers.) 



Size. Blackbird. Short tail, much the shape of a 

 Wren. 



Colour. Above blackish-brown, breast white, under 

 parts deep reddish-brown. 



Note. A varied song, wild and sweet. 



Distinguishing Feature. The erect attitude, with 

 the short tail nearly at right angles to the back ] the 

 dark colour above, with the white breast showing dis- 

 tinctly as the bird perches on a stone or rock in the 

 middle of a stream. 



Nest. Built of moss on the banks of a stream. En- 

 tered at the side. 



Eggs. Pure white. 



Ha unts. Streams. 



DOVE, TURTLE. (S.M. Pigeons.) 



Size. Smaller than domestic Pigeon. 



Colour. Above chestnut-brown, with black centres 

 to feathers, wings dusky -brown, centre tail-feathers 

 dusky-brown with pale tips, remainder black with white 

 tips, outer ones white on outside. Head bluish-grey, 

 sides of face and neck pinkish, deeper on chest, fading 

 lower down to white. On each side of neck a patch of 

 black feathers with light margins. 



Note. A soft purring ' coo-ooo-ooo.' 



Distinguishing Feature. When flying the warm brown 

 colour and the white margin round the spread tail. 

 Flight much like that of a pigeon, only the bird is smaller. 

 The soft coo as above. 



Nest. A slight platform of sticks in larch or other 

 tree. As a rule placed rather low. 



Eggs. Two only, and pure white. 



Haunts. Woods and fields. 



DUCK, WILD, (R. and W.M. Ducks.) 



Size. Smaller than the domestic Duck. 



Colour. The male is practically the same in plum- 

 age as an ordinary domestic Drake, having deep green 

 head and neck with white collar, back brown, shoul- 

 ders grey, chest deep chestnut, under parts freckled 

 greyish -white, tail black, wings with a patch of bright 

 greenish-blue edged with black and white. The female 



