294 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



county, and is apparently increasing in numbers : 

 this increase is probably partly owing to the destruc- 

 tion of the larger Hawks and birds of prey by game- 

 keepers, and also to the extreme wariness of the 

 birds themselves, who do not often give a chance of 

 a shot at them in the day-time : in the evening, how- 

 ever, during the autumn and winter, when they come 

 into the woods and plantations to roost in large flocks, 

 considerable numbers may be shot by any one lying 

 in wait for them under the trees, especially if the 

 evening be rough and windy. 



In the autumn and earlier part of the winter 

 Wood Pigeons are very good eating almost, if not 

 quite, equal to Partridges ; and the farmer may then 

 repay himself for the damage done to his crops by 

 these birds, and have an evening's sport into the 

 bargain; but later in the winter and towards the 

 beginning of spring, when they attack the crops of 

 Swede and other turnips, I cannot say so much for 

 their goodness for the kitchen, as they then become 

 very rank and bitter. 



After reading the following bill of fare no one will 

 be surprised that the farmer is occasionally a little 

 put out by the way his crops are devoured by Wood 

 Pigeons, especially where they are at all numerous ; 

 but, after all, the damage done to him does not 

 appear to be sufficient to warrant such extraordinary 

 means of destruction as poisoned grain or shooting 

 the birds on their nests (when they are certainly 



