TURTLE-DOVE 



Turtur communis 



URING the breeding season the Turtle-Dove is pretty gene- 

 rally distributed throughout the greater part of England 

 and Wales. It is, however, somewhat rare in the southern 

 counties of Devon and Cornwall, and North of Yorkshire, 

 and is also seldom observed in some of the wilder Welsh 

 counties. It is said to breed sparingly in a few counties 

 in Ireland, but is only known as an accidental straggler 

 to Scotland. There is a record of its occurrence in Orkney, and it passes 

 Shetland on its spring and autumn migrations. Unlike the true Pigeons, it 

 does not winter in our Islands. 



The Turtle-Dove does not arrive in this country until the last days of 

 April or the first week in May, leaving again during September. It is very 

 partial to plantations of firs and dense coverts which afford it plenty of 

 shelter, and is also found in pleasure-grounds and dense shrubberies, or 

 among the tall and thick hedges in well -cultivated districts. It is a very 

 timid bird, and seeks safety among the trees on the least alarm, looking 

 anxiously from side to side as it sits perched on some leafy branch. Its 

 flight is very powerful and swift, and it often flies long distances to feed. 

 When disturbed from the ground, it rises with a loud clapping of its wings 

 and makes straight for the nearest trees. 



Soon after their arrival in this country the Turtle-Doves fill the groves 

 and woods with their rich, crooning notes. These notes vary slightly, and are 

 modulated in various ways according to the caprice of the bird, and may be 

 represented on paper by the syllables ' coor-r-r-coor-r-r,' prolonged for some 

 little time. 



The food of the Turtle-Dove consists chiefly of grain and the seeds of 



several plants, varied with small quantities of soft fruit and little land-shells. 

 VOL. iv. M 45 



