WILD PIGEONS 239 



luxuriant, you will see the old ring-dove (for both take a 

 turn at feeding their young) there gathering the crowsfoot 

 seed, a dainty they are very fond of. 



And should the ubiquitous urchin rob them, they will 

 build again and again until the fourth time ; indeed, I have 

 seen young nestlings in the middle of September. But 

 should the first young brood escape all the dangers of 

 childhood, they will linger about the honeysuckle-decorated 

 plantings long after they can fly ; indeed, they do not leave 

 the nest before they can fly, and are still fed by the old 

 birds ; for their education is slow, and they are fully grown 

 before they seem able to feed themselves. And should you 

 disturb them before leaving the nest, you will see them fly 

 out and drop to the ground awkwardly. And when the 

 yellow harvest is ricked they again gather in flocks, together 

 with fresh arrivals from over the sea, and seek the new-lays, 

 where flocks of a thousand scramble, and prove very destruc- 

 tive to the newly-sown seeds planted after the barley has 

 been cut ; and if scared up by the farmer, they fly to the 

 nearest plantings, where they sit on the trees thickly as leaves. 

 And if the day be foggy and grey, they will mope, sitting upon 

 the bare branches, the watchman sitting on a low branch, 

 altogether making a delightful harmony in grey, such as Mr. 

 Whistler might love to paint And should you draw nigh, 

 you will see the motionless leader arise and shake his wings 

 sharply against his side, his signal to the moping, dreaming 

 flock that danger is nigh, and of one accord they arise and 

 wheel away to some bare oak in the heart of the wood. 



And at all times they are good eating, which is more than 

 can be said for some of the farmer's enemies. 



THE STOCK-DOVE, 



miscalled the "blue rocker," is a smaller bird than the old 

 " ring-dow," as he is swifter of flight ; and as he is often to 

 be seen in his company during the winter, the difference is 



