176 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



jarring note for a long space together, without seeming 

 to draw breath," considering that the two notes are 

 sounded during one expiration ; but I have frequently 

 heard their "jar" sustained for two, three, and some- 

 times four minutes, and I cannot conceive it could do 

 this without taking breath ; yet it is easily accounted for 

 if my conjecture is correct. At any rate, the alternation 

 of the two notes is so constant that it seems strange it 

 has never been noticed. 



I believe this jarring note is invariably uttered when 

 the bird is perching, and never when it is on the wing, 

 and it is not commenced for a week or ten days after its 

 arrival. It has another short, sharp note, like the sylla- 

 ble " dek/' which it utters during flight, and especially 

 when any one approaches its haunts. 



The eggs are usually marbled with light brown and ash 

 colour on a white ground ; but in 1856 I took two from 

 a mossy hollow' on the forest, in which the ground colour 

 was yellowish white, marked with distinct spots of ash 

 colour and brown without any streaks or marblings, the 

 spots being accumulated atone end, and forming an irregu- 

 lar zone. At the time I found them the female was on 

 the eggs, and sat immovably until I was within two yards 

 of her, when she flew off, feigning lameness at first, and 

 afterwards flew around me for some minutes as if 

 desirous of intimidating me. 



Of the family of the Columbidse, three species are all 

 that I can number viz., the Ring Dove (G. palumbus), 

 the Stock Dove ((?.cimas), and the Turtle Dove(C.turtur). 



Amongst our numerous woods and plantations the 

 ring dove is plentifully distributed. It is an indiscrimi- 

 nate feeder on seeds of every kind ; and, though well 

 provided with abundance of beech-mast and acorns, it 



