404 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



good deal of grain, and are thus rather troublesome to the farmer, they 

 also keep the weeds in check. The flesh of this bird is prized as an article 

 of food ; and in some districts it is regularly caught for the table. 

 Professor Newton states that in the warren districts the keepers add con- 

 siderably to their incomes by catching the Doves which breed in the 

 rabbit-holes, and that they keep a dog trained to discover the holes in which 

 they breed. In winter the Stock-Dove wanders about in search of food, 

 but there is no evidence to show that it ever leaves this country. 



The Stock-Dove appears to have derived its name from its habit of 

 nesting on the stocks of trees, and not, as some of the earlier ornithologists 

 imagined, from its being considered the stock or origin from which our 

 domestic Pigeons have descended. 



The Stock-Dove bears a general resemblance to the Ring-Dove, but is 

 somewhat smaller, and has no white on the sides of the neck or on the 

 wing-coverts and edges of the primaries ; the lavender-pink of the under- 

 parts is also confined to the upper breast. The pale subterminal band 

 across the tail is narrower, and is ill-defined from the lavender base of 

 the tail by an obscure dark bar. The most important feature to distinguish 

 it from the Rock- Dove is the dark brown patches on some of the wing- 

 coverts and innermost secondaries, which form a rudimentary wing-bar in 

 strong contrast to the well-defined wing-bar of the Rock-Dove. The bill 

 and feet do not differ from those of the Ring-Dove, but the irides are 

 red. Adult females and males of the year differ in having less metallic 

 gloss on the neck and less pink on the breast. Young in first plumage 

 have no metallic colours on the neck or pink on the breast, the rudimentary 

 wing-bars are almost absent, and the general colour of their plumage is 

 browner. 



