THE STOCK- DOVE. 2 9 



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The Stock-Dove is resident in the same district throughout the year, being 

 generally found in all well-timbered parks, from whence it may be seen flying to 

 the neighbouring fields. It possesses the most admirable powers of flight, not 

 only being very quick on the wing, but capable of threading its way through the 

 trees with such rapidity that it is a more difficult bird to shoot than even the 

 Wood-Pigeon, being a very wary bird that takes flight on the least alarm. 



It may occasionally be seen with the farm-yard Pigeons gathering the grains 

 of corn which have been left exposed after harvest- time. Unlike the Rock- Dove, 

 it perches in trees with great facility, and may be observed in the breeding 

 season, running along the branches after its mate, with its tail spread out after 

 the fashion of the common domestic Pigeon. It is singular that it occasionally 

 nests iu hollow trees in the branches of which may be seen the nests of the 

 Jackdaw, which is generally regarded as a bird destructive to the eggs of other 

 species. Like the other birds of the genus, it lays only two eggs which are 

 incubated the usual period of eighteen days, the young being born in a very 

 immature condition, and remaining in the nest until well able to fly. The eggs, 

 however, are not pure white, but pale creamy in colour, by which they may 

 always be distinguished from those of the Wood-Pigeon or the Rock-Dove. 



The general bluish or brownish-grey of the Stock-Dove distinguishes the bird 

 from the following species, which has a white rump and two well defined dark 

 bars on the wings, and the absence of white on the neck, and the smaller size 

 distinguish it from the Wood-Pigeon. The length of the Stock-Dove is about 

 thirteen-and-a-half inches, the female being somewhat smaller. The weight about 

 thirteen ounces. 



The name of Stock- Dove is unfortunate, it is usually taken to signify that 

 the bird is or was regarded as the original stock of our domestic Pigeon, which 

 is an erroneous supposition ; but Mr. H. Saunders states that it refers to the 

 habit of the birds nesting in the " stocks " of trees, like the German name 

 "Hohltaube" or Hole-Dove. 



VOL IV. 2 M 



