424 The Natural' History of Selborne 



be taken up by the hand, rather than rise ; and yet it will at 

 times run very fast. 



What Mr. White remarks respecting the small shell snails 

 found in its gizzard, confirms my opinion, that it frequents 

 corn-fields, seed clover, and brakes or fern, more for the sake 

 of snails, slugs, and other insects which abound in such places, 

 than for the grain or seeds ; and that it is entirely an insec- 

 tivorous bird. MARKWICK. 



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 with- 

 out ; for turkeys, 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-grazier, finds -wherewith to ease her want." 



PHILIPS'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 give 



