488 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



more in the winter than in summer, even in the severest 

 weather. Are very mischievous in gardens, destroying all 



sorts of grains, cabbages, etc They usually begin 



cooing in March, though I have heard them in January, in 

 mild, warm weather." (Tunst. MS. 1784, p. 77.) 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote : 



Columba palumbus. Ring Dove Also becoming rare near Halifax ; 

 plentiful in other districts ; although I have succeeded in breeding 

 this bird in confinement, I never could domesticate it ; though hatched 

 and bred in the Aviary, as soon as ever it had an opportunity, it would 

 fly off to a distance and never return. The Stock Dove, on the contrary, 

 bred, though not hatched, in confinement, has felt attached to its 

 companions and its adopted home, and has returned and re-entered 

 the cage after escape. 



As an abundant and widely distributed species the Ring- 

 Dove, or Wood-Pigeon, requires but little notice here ; it 

 is resident, and breeds commonly and increasingly throughout 

 the county wherever suitable woods and plantations are 

 found, including the Wold districts of the East Riding* 

 being absent only on the moorlands of the north and south- 

 west. In autumn and winter large flocks assemble, and, 

 leaving their nesting localities, forage far afield for food in 

 the stubbles or amongst the green crops of the lowlands, 

 their ranks being frequently augmented by arrivals from 

 more northern parts of the kingdom, or from the European 

 Continent, the numbers of these foreigners depending upon 

 the severity or mildness of the season, and the consequent 

 scarcity or abundance of food. In October and November 

 1884, an enormous influx took place on the north-east coast, 

 continuing from 2oth October to the end of November (Sixth 

 Migration Report, p. 59), and was observed in its full strength 

 at Redcar, where one gunner on the sands shot fifty in three 

 days, all birds coming in from the sea. 



These migrations were very pronounced in 1881, 1884, 

 1889, 1894, 1898, 1899, and 1901 : in the last named year I 

 saw great flights come in at Redcar on i6th November. 

 During the severe weather of December 1878, many of these 

 birds perished of starvation, and were found dead on the 

 beach at Flamborough. 



