126 STOCK-DOVE. 



climbed the tree, and found the young so fledged 

 that they all escaped from him; but discovered 

 that a good house had been kept ; the larder was 

 well stored with provisions ; for he brought down 

 a young blackbird, jay, and house-martin, all clean 

 picked, and some half devoured. The old birds 

 had been observed to make sad havoc for some 

 days among the new-flown swallows and martins, 

 which, being but lately out of their nests, had not 

 acquired those powers and command of wing that 

 enable them, when more mature, to set such ene- 

 mies at defiance. 



XLIV. 



EVERY incident that occasions a renewal of our 

 correspondence will ever be pleasing and agreeable 

 to me. 



As to the wild wood-pigeon, the cenas, or vinago, 

 of Ray, I am much of your mind; and see no 

 reason for making it the origin of the common 

 house- dove ; but suppose those that have advanced 

 that opinion may have been misled by another ap- 

 pellation, often given to the cenas, which is that of 

 stock- dove. 



Unless the stock- dove in the winter varies 

 greatly in manners from itself in summer, no 

 species seems more unlikely to be domesticated, 

 and to make a house- dove. We very rarely see the 

 latter settle on trees at all, nor does it ever haunt 

 the woods ; but the former, as long as it stays with 

 us, from November perhaps to February, lives 

 the same wild life with the ring-dove, palumbus 

 torquatus ; frequents coppices and groves, sup- 

 ports itself chiefly by mast, and delights to roost 

 in the tallest beeches. Could it be known in what 



