COLUMBIA. 137 



the winter great numbers of Wood Pigeons arrive from the 

 northern parts of Europe ; but our native birds are not con- 

 sidered migratory. This species feeds on all kinds of grain, 

 as also on peas, beech-mast, acorns, and berries, and in the 

 winter season on turnips ; while in spring it visits gardens, 

 eating the young cabbage- plants, and other greens, and crop- 

 ping the peas, even when five or six inches above the ground. 

 Except during the breeding season, Wood Pigeons are gre- 

 garious, and shy in their habits, but during that season, 

 which commences in April, much of this timidity and shy- 

 ness disappears, and young plantations, shrubberies, and 

 even gardens possessing large evergreens, are resorted to for 

 the purpose of incubation. The nest consists of a few sticks 

 placed across each other, and is a platform of the slightest 

 construction ; and the eggs, almost invariably two in num- 

 ber, are of a glossy white when blown, but previously of a 

 delicate pinkish-white. There are two or three broods in a 

 year. The shy and timid nature of these birds renders them 

 very difficult to domesticate, and little success has hitherto 

 attended endeavours made to accomplish this object. 



THE STOCK DOVE. Columba cenas. This species seldom 

 if ever occurs in Scotland or Ireland, and appears from the 

 statements of authors to be very partial in its distribution 



