122 



HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



ever, Nature still perseveres in her great out- 

 line ; and though the form, colour, and even 

 the fecundity, of these birds, may be altered 

 by art, yet their natural manners and inclina- 

 tions continue still the same. 1 



1 The Ring Pigeon or Cushat is a bird widely dis- 



seminated throughout Europe, either as a permanent 

 resident, or as a periodical visitant; in the first state, in 

 all those countries where the climate and temperature 

 are such as to ensure a constant supply of food, and in 

 the latter, in those higher latitudes where the 3'igour 

 of winter is severely felt, and the ground for a long period 

 remains covered with snow. Of its geographical distri- 

 bution in other quarters of the globe, we can only speak 

 with uncertainty, as it is evident, that species, bearing a 

 resemblance in form and colour, have been mistaken for 

 it, and as such recorded in the relations of various tra- 

 vellers. Temminck mentions it in his History of the 

 pigeons, as inhabiting parts of northern Asia and Africa, 

 and it is known to be a native of Madeira, as well as 

 another nearly allied species, lately described in the 

 " Illustrations of Ornithology," under the title of the 

 Columba Trocaz. In America it has not yet been re- 

 cognized, neither does it appear among the species which 

 abound within the tropical latitudes of the ancient world. 

 In Britain it is distributed from one extremity of the 

 kingdom to the other, residing permanently with us ; for, 

 though subject to a partial movement upon the approach 

 of winter, when the various individuals scattered over 

 the country collect together, and form extensive flocks, 

 no actual migration takes place, but these congregated 

 masses still keep within their respective districts. The 

 magnitude of these winter flocks has no doubt suggested 

 the idea, that a migration from distant climes to this 

 country annually takes place at this season of the year, 

 and that the numbers of our native stock are thus aug- 

 mented. We see no necessity, however, for supposing 

 this to be the case, nor is it authorised by any observed 

 or established fact. The species in districts favourable 

 to its increase appears to be sufficiently numerous to ac- 

 count for the largest bodies ever seen assembled toge- 

 ther. 



This congregating of the Ring pigeons takes place to- 

 wards the end of October or beginning of November, at 

 which time all the autumnal broods have become fully 

 fledged, and they remain thus united till the beginning 

 of February, when the first mild days and the genial 

 influence of the ascending sun again call forth those in- 

 stinctive feelings which urge them to separate and pair, 

 and each to seek an appropriate retreat for the rearing 

 of a future brood. At first when thus congregated, they 

 haunt the stubbles, or, in districts producing an abun- 

 dance of beech-mast or acorns, the woods and trees ; but 

 as these resources become exhausted, they resort to the 

 turnip fields, the leaves and tops of which root they 

 greedily devour. This food now constitutes their prin- 

 cipal support during the winter and early spring months, 

 or until the clover begins to sprout, and the seed-corn is 

 committed to the earth, and it has been observed that the 



The stock-dove, in its native woods, differs 

 from the ring-dove, a bird that has never been 

 reclaimed, by its breeding in the holes of rocks 

 and the hollows of trees. All other birds of 

 the pigeon kind build, like rooks, in the top- 

 increase of the species has been progressive with that of 

 the culture of this valuable root. The numerous and 

 extensive plantations that of late years have been so gen- 

 erally made throughout the island, and which, in a young 

 and close growing state, are peculiarly favourable to its 

 habits, must also be taken into account, and perhaps 

 these tend, in an equal degree to the cause above assigned, 

 to the rapid increase of its numbers. When thus 

 united, they repair to their feeding-ground early in the 

 morning, and again in the afternoon before they retire 

 to roost, the middle of the day being passed in repose or 

 digesting their first meal, upon the nearest trees. When 

 thus perched, some are always upon the watch, and so 

 great is their vigilance, that it is almost impossible, by 

 any device, to get within gun-shot. In the evening 

 they retire to the woods to roost, preferring those of the 

 fir tribe and the ash to any other, and in those nocturnal 

 retreats great slaughter is sometimes committed, by wait- 

 ing in concealment their arrival, which regularly takes 

 place immediately after sunset. 



The first mild weather in February produces an im- 

 mediate effect upon these congregated pigeons, and we 

 may almost calculate to a day when their cooing and 

 plaintive murmurs will again be heard in their wonted 

 summer haunts. The flocks are now seen daily to de- 

 crease in magnitude, and in a short time every wood 

 and copse becomes peopled with the numerous pairs of 

 this lovely bird. The male soon after commences a 

 flight peculiar to the season of courtship and love, this 

 is a rising and falling in the air, by alternate move- 

 ments, in which flight, and when at the greatest eleva- 

 tion, the upper surfaces of the wings are brought sc 

 forcibly into contract, as to be heard at a considerable 

 distance. Nidification soon follows this well-known 

 signal, and by the end of April the young in many in- 

 stances are fully fledged, and ready to quit the nest. 

 Few, however, of the early brood, comparatively speak- 

 ing, attain maturity, as the eggs at this season, from the 

 naked state of the woods, are easily discovered by the 

 prying eye and inquisitive habits of the cunning magpie 

 and predacious carrion-crow. 



The nest of the cushat is a flimsy fabric, being a mere 

 platform of twigs loosely interwoven, so open, indeed, 

 that the eggs, in one newly built, and before it becomes 

 thickened by the droppings of a previous brood, may be 

 seen through it from beneath; and so slight is the cen- 

 tral depression, that it frequently happens, where the 

 incubating bird is suddenly disturbed, the eggs, in the 

 hurry to escape, are tumbled from the nest, and perish 

 upon the ground. The site selected for nidification is 

 various, and no tree or bush seems to come amiss at 

 certain periods of the year. In early spring, however, 

 and before the deciduous trees acquire their umbrageous 

 and leafy covering, firs, and other evergreens, are pre- 

 ferred, on account of the better concealment and protec- 

 tion they afford. From this diversity of site, the nest 

 is necessarily placed at various elevations, at one time 

 being far removed from the ground, as when it is built 

 near the summit of a lofty spruce, or in the thick foliage 

 of a beech or sycamore, at another scarcely out of reach, 

 and but a few feet from the earth, as we find it in the 

 holly, the young fir, the thorn, or other bushy trees. 

 The eggs, always two in number, are white, of an oblong 

 form, and rounded nearly equally at both ends. Incuba- 

 tion lasts from eighteen to twenty days, and both sexes 

 sit alternately, the male taking the place of his mat> 

 when hunger compels her to quit the nest, and so vice 



