BRITISH WILD PIGEONS 



" WILD pigeon " is a term loosely applied. In 

 reality there are five British species. These comprise 

 the ring-dove, the stock-dove, the rock-dove, the 

 turtle-dove and the passenger pigeon. The beauti- 

 fully burnished ring-dove is the wood-pigeon or 

 cushat a large, handsome bird, abundant every- 

 where throughout the country, and often seen in 

 immense flocks in the autumn months. The stock- 

 dove is a smaller bird, and the rock-dove a smaller 

 bird again. The rock-dove is a little blue pigeon, 

 from which it is generally believed that all our 

 domestic varieties are descended. The turtle-dove 

 is a summer migrant to our shores ; and the American 

 passenger pigeon can only be looked upon as a 

 casual visitant of very rare occurrence. 



To dwellers in the country the ring-dove is one of 

 the best-known wild birds, and is yearly becoming 

 more common. Flocks amounting to hundreds 

 may be seen flying together, ranging over wide tracts 

 of country in search of food. When thus banded, 

 they feed upon acorns, beech-nuts, grain, and the 

 leaves of green crops. 



There is no question as to the devastation which 

 one of these flocks brings with it. It is said that 1020 



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