NA TURAL HISTOR Y OF SELBORNE. 1 1 3 



LETTER XLIV. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, Nov. 30^, 1780. 



DEAR SIR, Every incident that occasions a renewal of our 

 correspondence will ever be pleasing and agreeable to me. 



As to the wild wood-pigeon, the (Enas^ or Vinago, of Ray, I am 

 much of your mind ; and see no reason for making it the origin of 

 the common house-dove : but suppose those that have advanced 

 that opinion may have been misled by another appellation, often 

 given to the CEnas y which is that of stock-dove. 





STOCK-DOVH 



Unless the stock-dove in the winter varies greatly in manners 

 from itself in summer, no species seems more unlikely to be 

 domesticated, and to make an house-dove. We very rarely see the 

 latter settle on trees at all, nor does it ever haunt the woods : but 

 the former as long as it stays with us, from November perhaps to 

 February, lives the same wild life with the ring-dove, Palumbus 

 torquatus j frequents coppices and groves, supports itself chiefly by 

 mast, and delights to roost in the tallest beeches. Could it be 



