THE TURTLE DOVE 209 



of masonry in the opposite island. That they are truly wild here 

 there can be no doubt. Indeed, the precipitous shores of Scot- 

 land, the Hebrides, and Orkneys, afford them exactly the kind 

 of retreat that suits their habits ; and here among inaccessible 

 rocks they build their nests and on their return from their inland 

 marauding expeditions, pass their nights. Their attitudes, mode 

 of flight, progression when on the ground, note, and manner of 

 feeding, are the same as those of the common tame Pigeon ; and, 

 as might be expected, both wild and tame birds agree in declining 

 to perch on trees. 



Macgillivray, who had opportunities of watching them in their 

 native haunts at all seasons, informs us that they leave their caves 

 in the crags at early dawn, and, proceeding along the shore, unite with 

 other parties on their way till they reach the cultivated grounds, 

 where they settle in large flocks, diligently seeking for grains of 

 barley and oats, seeds of wild mustard and other weeds, picking 

 up also the small snails * which abound in sandy pastures near the 

 sea. In summer they make frequent short visits of this kind, 

 returning at intervals to feed their young. In winter they form 

 much larger flocks, and, making the best use of their short 

 day, feed more intently, thus holding out a temptation to the 

 fowler, who, if sufficiently wary, can sometimes approach near 

 enough to kill a large number at a shot. They are supposed to 

 pair for life ; and this, I believe, is generally the case with tame 

 Pigeons. They lay two eggs, and sit for three weeks. The male 

 and the female sit, alternately relieving each other. They breed 

 twice a year, but the number of eggs never exceeds two. Hence 

 the old Scottish saying, ' a doo's cleckin ', for a family of only two 

 children — a boy and a girl. They may be distinguished from the 

 other common species while flying, by showing a large patch of 

 white between the back and the tail. 



THE TURTLE DOVE 



TURTUR COMMUNIS 



Head and nape ash, tinged with wine-red ; a space on the sides ot the neck 

 composed of black feathers tipped with white ; neck and breast pale 

 wine-red ; back ash-brown ; primaries dusky ; secondaries bluish ash ; 

 scapulars and wing-coverts rust-red with a black spot in the centre of 

 each feather ; abdomen and lower tail-coverts white ; tail dusky, all but 

 the two middle feathers tipped with white, the outer feather edged with 

 white externally ; irides yellowish red ; feet red ; bill brown. Eggs 

 white. 



Nearly three thousand years ago the Turtle Dove had the dis- 

 tinction of being enumerated among the pleasant things of spring : 



1 Helix ericetorum, a flattish, striped shell ; and Bulimus acutus, an oblong, 

 conical shell, mottled with grey and black. 



Kb. j» 



