28 The Naturalist m Siluria. 



This species also furnishes us with an illustration of 

 Nature adapting her creatures to the mode of life she 

 has designed for them. Its home on the beetling sea- 

 cliff, where it is exposed to the most furious storms, 

 renders it necessary that the bird should be provided with 

 the best means of flight. And just so it is, its wings 

 being longer in proportion to its bulk than even those of 

 the Stock-dove, while its flight is bolder, more arrow-like, 

 and swifter than any of the genus. 



The fourth and last species of our native columbidce, 

 the Turtle-dove (0. turtur), is also in the list of Wye 

 birds; but only as a summer visitor. This beautiful 

 little creature breeds with us; and its tur-tur, from 

 which it has its name, can be heard throughout all the 

 summer's day. 



One fact in connection with the Turtle-dove is worth 

 recording. Here, in Herefordshire, its nest is protected 

 from spoliation by a singular sentiment, or rather, super- 

 stition; and nest-robbing boys, who will ruthlessly 

 plunder those of the Ring or Stock-dove, leave that of 

 the Turtle untouched ! The reason for thus resisting the 

 temptation, is a belief that any one who robs the nest of 

 a Turtle-dove will as a consequence, and by way of 

 punishment soon after have a death in his family ! 



One day in March my gunman shot four wild pigeons 

 that were feeding on a field of beans recently sown. 

 They do little, if any, damage to the beans at such time ; 

 unlike rooks and crows, not " stocking " them up, but 

 only taking those left uncovered, and so lost. It is not 

 about this, however, the present note is written ; but to 

 say that, of the four birds killed, one was a Stock-dove 

 (Columba cenas), the other three Ring-doves, or, as com- 

 monly called, Quests (G. palumbus). They were all in 



