244 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



grains of corn have been found in the crop of a single 

 bird; and that in East Lothian, where less than 

 a century ago the species was unknown, 130,440 

 birds have been killed within seven years, and 

 29,000 in twelve months, without apparently de- 

 creasing the numbers. I myself shot one of a flock 

 of ring-doves, the crop of which contained sixty- 

 seven acorns, while in that of another bird of the 

 same species eighty beans were found. Lord 

 Haddington examined the crops of four ring-doves 

 with the following results: That of the first con- 

 tained 144 field-peas and seven large beans; the 

 second, 231 beech-nuts; the third, 813 grains of 

 barley; the fourth, 874 grains of oats and 55 of 

 barley. From the above, the damage done by these 

 birds may be guessed at, especially when it is re- 

 membered that they feed three times daily. The 

 causes which contribute to swell the number of wild 

 pigeons in this country are well known. More 

 green crops are now grown for winter use than 

 formerly, and thus food is provided during a period 

 of year when in times past it was unattainable. 

 Then the economy of fir or spruce plantations is 

 better understood, and these afford precisely the 

 harbour which the wood-pigeon loves best. 



For eight months of the year the ring-dove is 

 gregarious. After the last young are hatched, the 

 birds begin to flock, as the farmer discovers, about 



