THE WOOD-PIGEON 191 



used is not important so long as there is sufficient to dissolve the 

 sulphur, which gives a dark colour to the lime. The soft soap 

 should be dissolved separately, and afterwards mixed with the 

 lime and sulphur, and sufficient water added to make 3 gallons 

 in all. If the mixture is not thick enough to apply with a brush 

 more lime may be added, or if the glaring colour be objected to, 

 mix soot with it. Caution must be had in dissolving the sulphur, 

 not doing it in a house containing plants in a growing state, as the 

 gas emitted will burn up every leaf just as completely as if fire 

 had been used. The mixture is applied by means of a brush, well 

 coating all the parts of the bush or tree, taking care that the buds 

 are not injured or dislocated. It may also be dashed amongst 

 bushes with a whitewash brush, or made thin enough to be passed 

 through a syringe. Birds will not touch buds that are well coated 

 with the mixture, and no amount of rain will wash it off if it be 

 applied in dry weather, but this is contingent on its being prepared 

 with quicklime, for if lime is used that has been some time exposed 

 to the air, the sulphur will not properly dissolve, and the first shower 

 will wash it off." 



WOOD-PIGEON. Under this term is included the ringdove or 

 cushat and stockdove. Both are destructive to vegetable crops 

 in gardens, fields, and woods. In gardens they feed upon the leaves 

 of cauliflowers and other brassicas, tops of sprouting peas and some- 

 times ripening seed, and leaves of beets and lettuces. In the fields 

 they feed upon young growths of clovers, peas, and vetches, also 

 their seeds, young growths of turnip-tops, indeed most brassicas, 

 and grain. In the woods they feed on acorns, beech-mast, seeds, 

 buds, catkins of trees, and by their weight break the leaders of larch, 

 silver fir, spruce, and other conifers, especially on the east coast 

 by the immense flocks that arrive in winter from the Continent. 

 These, although smaller, do most harm in woods and fields, 

 often clearing a whole field of turnips or cabbage, etc., of their tops. 

 Wood-pigeons are also said to eat cherries from green to ripe, and 

 take gooseberries whole. 



It is straining matters too far to say wood-pigeons are of no 

 use and that they are entirely vegetarians, for their food, though 

 mostly grains, seeds, and greenstuff, is varied with a dietary of 

 mollusca, such as slugs, etc., and they also devour various weed- 

 seeds, such as charlock, wild mustard, etc., along with wild herbage 

 and roots. Of the latter mention may be made of the Pilewort 

 (Ficaria ranunculoides), the crowfoot-like roots of which wood- 

 pigeons bill out of the ground in winter and eat with great 

 avidity ; hence it has been advised to encourage this plant in the 

 vicinity of gardens to prevent wood-pigeon depredations in winter. 



Of the wood-pigeon's value in a pie and of importance to game 

 preservers there is no question, being good as food and worth is. 

 per brace. The close preservation of game implies encouragement 



