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 sania 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, 168x115 in. 
Laying begins April or earlier... Broods 2-3. 
97. Stock-dove [Columba enas Linnzus]. Resident and 
somewhat local. 
Bird. Length 134 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 mt 
Nest. Place: usually a hole or recess in a tree, building, 
ground, orold nest. Material: little or none; twigs, leaves, &c. 
Eggs. Usually 2. Creamy-white. Av. size, 153x1:13. 
Laying may begin in March. Broods 2, possibly 3. 
98. Rock-dove [Columba livia livia Gmelin]. Frequents 
sea-cliffs, chiefly on W. coasts and Ireland, 
Bird. Length 134 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 @ 
cliff. Roughly constructed of grasses, roots, heather, sea-weed 
and other material. 
Eggs. Two. White. Av. size, 154x115 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 (Linneus); 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 
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