164 OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 



the end of August ; and a few individuals may often 

 be observed through the first week in September. 

 From what cause they are induced to protract their 

 stay at that place so much beyond its usual limit, I 

 am unable to say; but the fact itself I regularly 

 noticed during a period of several years that I was in 

 the habit of residing there for the summer months. 

 Possibly they may, in some measure, be influenced 

 by the cathedral and other old buildings adjacent, in 

 the holes and crannies of which these birds meet 

 with a retreat peculiarly congenial to their habits, as 

 appears by the immense numbers that annually resort 

 thither in the early part of the season. 



RING-DOVE.* 



RING-DOVES are very abundant in this neighbour- 

 hood, though less so than formerly, and do much 

 mischief some seasons by devouring peas, beans, and 

 other leguminous plants. Their cooing notes are 

 heard incessantly from February to October. After 

 that time they begin to collect into enormous flocks, 

 which disperse themselves over the country during 

 the day-time to feed, but return regularly home in 

 the evening to roost in their native woods and plan- 

 tations. Some of these flocks do not separate till 

 very late in the spring, though the greater part pair 

 off for the purpose of breeding by the beginning of 

 March. In the autumn, they appear to subsist 

 chiefly on acorns and beech-mast. - 



* Columba palumbus, Linn. 



