50 BRITISH BIRDS 



flight. The head, neck, lower back, rump, and tail-coverts 

 bluish-grey. Purple and green reflections on the nape and 

 neck. Mantle and wing-coverts greyish-brown. Tail dusky. 

 Under-parts, vinous-purple on the breast and bluish-grey on 

 the flanks and belly. The young lack the white patch on the 

 neck. 



Nest. Place : usually high up in trees or tall hedges. Often 

 in old nests of other species, or in ivy on walls, &c. Rarely 

 on or near the ground. A flimsy structure of twigs. 



Eggs. Usually 2. Glossy white. Av. size, 1*68 x 1*15 in. 

 Laying begins April or earlier. Broods 2-3. 



97. Stock-dove [Colurriba, anas Linnaeus]. Resident and 

 somewhat local. 



Bird. Length 13 J in. Readily distinguished from the pre- 

 ceding form by its smaller size, and from both this and the 

 rock-dove by the absence of white in its plumage. The upper- 

 parts bluish or slate-grey. Green and purplish reflections on 

 the sides of the neck. Patches of black on the wing form 

 broken bars. Under-parts : throat and breast vinous purple, 

 rest greyish. The young have no reflections on the neck. 



Nest. Place: usually a hole or recess in a tree, building, 

 ground, or old nest. Material : little or none ; twigs, leaves, &c. 



Eggs. Usually 2. Creamy-white. Av. size, l'53xl*13. 

 Laying may begin in March. Broods 2, possibly 3. 



98. Rock-dove [Golumba lima livia Gmelin]. Frequents 

 sea-cliffs, chiefly on W. coasts and Ireland. 



Bird. Length 13 J in. Distinguished by the large patch of 

 white on the rump. Head, neck and tail dark blue, the tail 

 with a black terminal bar, and with white on the outermost 

 feathers. A patch of metallic green on the neck. Mantle and 

 under-parts blue-grey. Axillaries and under-wing coverts 

 white, conspicuous in flight ; those of the stock-dove are grey. 



Nest. Place : ledge or crevice in a sea-cave, or crevice in a 

 cliff. Roughly constructed of grasses, roots, heather, sea-weed 

 and other material. 



Eggs. Two. White. Av. size, 1*54 x 1'15 in. Laying 

 begins as early as January- February, and may go on to 

 October. Broods 2-3 or more. 



99. Turtle-dove [Turtur turtur turtur (Linnseus) ; Turtur 

 communis Selby]. Summer visitor. Chiefly in the wooded 

 southern parts of Great Britain ; elsewhere scarce. Bird of 

 passage. 



Bird. Length 11*25 in. Markedly different from the three 

 preceding both in shape, size, and coloration. It is smaller, 

 more slender, and has the feathers of the wing-coverts and 

 scapulars a rich reddish-brown with black centres, and the 



