ROOK AND PIGEON SHOOTING, ETC. 355 



other birds of a somewhat similar appearance, by a 

 slight variation of colour ; the rook has a blue, the 

 carrion-crow a brown tinge, the jackdaw is partially 

 grey, the raven is jet black. 



The Wood-pigeon. The wood-pigeon is little re- 

 garded by the sportsman. A shot may be obtained 

 by lying in ambush early in the morning, near to 

 some wheat stubble, or field of newly sown grain, 

 where the birds feed ; but the best sport the wood- 

 pigeon affords is at the roosting place, where the 

 shooter ought to take his station an hour before 

 sunset. It is difficult to obtain a shot in any other 

 manner, except when the birds are young, when 

 they are sometimes killed in trees, in the same 

 manner as young rooks. The sportsman in pursuit 

 of game often sees them, but rarely obtains a shot 

 at them. Sometimes, but it is usually when he is 

 not aware of them, they will suffer him to approach 

 close to the tree in which they are perched. The 

 tree is generally a large one, and perhaps in full 

 foliage, and he hears the rustling of the wings of 

 the decamping birds, but seldom secures a shot. 

 Whenever a wood-pigeon leaves a tree, the shooter 

 should prepare for others, since, when there are 

 several in the same tree, they will not leave it 

 simultaneously, but move off in succession. They 

 are large strong birds, and require heavy shot to 

 bring them down. 



Shooting tame pigeons is becoming a very com- 

 mon amusement ; but it is oftener practised to de- 

 cide a wager, than prove the skill of the parties. 

 The Bed House at Battersea, near London, is the 



