THE STOCK-DO YE.] 



SHOOTINa, 



[the stock-doyb. 



female quadrupeds during the time of uterine 

 gestation. On comparing the state of the crop 

 when the bird is not sitting, with its appear- 

 ance on these occasions, the diiference is found 

 to be very remarkable. In tlie first case it is 

 thin and membranous; but when the young 

 are about to be hatched, it becomes thicker, 

 and takes a glandular appearance, having its 

 internal surface very irregular. Whatever may 

 be the consistence of this substance wlien just 

 secreted, it probably very soon coagulates into 

 a granulated white curd ; and in this form it 

 is always found in the crop. If an old pigeon 

 be killed just when the young ones are hatch- 

 ing, the crop will be found as above described, 

 having in its cavity pieces of white curd mixed 

 with the common food of the bird, such as 

 barley, peas, &c. The young pigeons are fed 

 for a little while with this substance only; 

 about the third day some of the common food 

 is to be found along with it. As the pigeon 

 grows older, the proportion of common food is 

 increased; so that by the time it is seven, 

 eight, or nine days old, the secretion of the 

 curd ceases in the old ones, and of course no 

 more is found in the crop of the young. It is 

 a curious fact, that the parent pigeon has, at 

 first, power to throw up this curd without auy 

 mixture of common food ; although afterwards 

 both are thrown up in the proportion required 

 fox the young.* 



THE STOCK-DOVE. 



This is the Columla ^nas of Linnaeus ; and, 

 from being the parent stock whence all the 

 varieties of the domestic pigeon are derived, is 

 often called the stock- dove. It is still found in 

 many parts of our island in a wild state ; form- 

 ing its nest in holes of rocks, and old towers, 

 and in the hollows of trees; but never, like 

 the ring-dove, on the boughs. 



There is considerable uncertainty about the 

 identity of this bird. Bewick calls it the wild 

 pigeon; and Colonel Montague the rock-dove, 

 or rockier; and he says that ornithologists 

 seem to differ concerniug the rock and the 

 stock-pigeon, though it appears almost impos- 

 sible to conceive them a distinct species. 

 Bewick says, that the stock-dove, rock-pigeon, 



* What is here termed curd, is not literally such, but 

 is so called from its much resembling that substance in 

 appearance. 



596 



and wood-pigeon, with some small differences^ 

 may be included under the same denomina- 

 tion. The wood-pigeon ought to be taken 

 entirely out of this class, because it is well 

 known never to produce any sexual inter- 

 course with the domestic pigeon, though every 

 effort has been tried w-hich ingenuity could 

 suggest. The stock-dove is very generally dif- 

 fused throughout all the countries in Europe. 

 It is said to be migratory ; but this is not well 

 ascertained. The nest of the female is very 

 loosely and rudely put together ; so much so, 

 that the eggs can be distinctly seen from the 

 under part of the nest. She lays two white 

 eggs. These birds live on wild fruits, herbs, 

 and on all kinds of grain. They are very 

 partial to peas, and are themselves delicate 

 eating, except when they have been for some 

 time feeding on turnips ; they then acquire a 

 strong and rancid flavour. In habit they are 

 shy, but are somewhat more easily killed with 

 shot than the common wood-pigeon. "When 

 they assemble in large flocks, they set scouts 

 to watch ; but, by a little care, and keeping 

 perfectly still, if possible, the sportsman may 

 succeed in getting at them. Some writers say 

 they are more common in the southern coun- 

 ties of England than in the northern. They 

 are likewise numerous in some districts of 

 "Wales. In some of the continental states, 

 particularly in Hungary, Bohemia, and Servia, 

 they appear in great flocks, at certain seasons 

 of the year, and are shot in large numbers by 

 the sportsmen and peasants of these countries. 

 Multitudes of wild pigeons visit us in the 

 winter, from their more northerly summer 

 retreats; appearing about November, and 

 again retiring (except a few that breed with 

 us) in the spring. AVhile the beech woods 

 were suffered to cover large tracts of ground, 

 these birds used to haunt them in myriadfi, 

 frequently extending above a mile in length, as 

 they went out in the morning to feed. lu a 

 state of domestication, these pigeons are ren- 

 dered of very material service. They fre- 

 quently breed eight or nine times in a year ; 

 and though only two eggs are laid at a time, 

 their increase is so rapid and prodigious, that, 

 at the expiration of four years, the produce 

 and descendants of a single pair may amount 

 to the immense number of nearly fifteen 

 , thousand. 



