( 28? ) 



has no connexion with man. He fcorns 

 the inclofure ; and all the dainties of the 

 flubble. The wild foreft is his only delight ; 

 and there, his pleafures lie more in it's open, 

 than in it's woody fcenes. This bird was 

 formerly found in great abundance in New- 

 foreft ; but he is now much fcarcer ; tho he 

 has the honour, which no other bird can 

 boaft, of being prote(5ted as royal-game. To 

 this day when the chief-juftice-in-eyre, grants 

 his warrants to kill game in the foreft, he always 

 excepts the black-cock, together with red, and 

 fallow-deer. 



The plaintiiF ring-dove alfo is a great ad- 

 mirer of the woody fcenes of the foreft. 

 Many fuppofe her a folitary bird -, at leaft, 

 that ihe flies only with her mate 3 confound- 

 ing her habits perhaps with thofe of the 

 turtle-dove ; which, I believe, is folitary : 

 but the ring-dove is certainly gregarious. I 

 have often feen in the foreft large flocks of 

 this fpecies together, in the winter-months ; 

 fo well the poet knew their nature by con- 

 trafting them with the wood-cock : 



While doves in flocks ilie leutiel's trees o'er-fli;ule ; 

 The lonely wood-cock liaunts the watry glade. 



The 



