153 



WOOD PIGEON. 



"RING DOYE. CTJSHATc QUEEST. 



Columba palumbus, PENXANT. MONTAGU. 



ColumbaA. Pigeon. Palumbus A. Wood Pigeon. 



THIS bird is a universal favourite, an emblem, as it is 

 always considered, of peace, innocence, and conjugal fidelity. 

 'It was a Dove, ever since sacred to peace,' says Booth, 'that 

 brought the olive branch to the ark of Noah, for which she 

 has her place among constellations; and the Christian world 

 still personate the HOLT SPIRIT under the mystic emblem of 

 a Dove.' 



It is found in Europe as far north as the southern parts 

 of Siberia and Russia, as in summer in Denmark and Sweden; 

 likewise so far south as the latitude of Madeira, and in the 

 northern part of the African continent, and in Asia. 



The Ring Dove occurs throughout the whole of England 

 and Scotland, so far north as Tongue in Sutherlandshire, 

 and has been seen several times in the Orkneys. It has 

 been killed in Sanday one was shot in Orphir in the 

 autumn of 1844, another at Pabdale by Mr. Duguid, and a 

 third at the same place by Mr. Ranken, the 15th. of 

 October, 1846. 



It is with us a stationary inhabitant, but in the winter many 

 are said to cone over from the continent, and a departure 

 again is accordingly supposed to take place in the spring. 

 Of the enormois flocks which congregate in the winter, some 

 do not separate till late in the spring, while others, in 

 parliamentary phrase, 'pair for the session' by the beginning 

 of March. In hard weather they sometimes make limited 

 migrations, but such are not often called for their food, 

 unless covered w.th snow, being almost everywhere to be met 

 with. 



