122 THE BRITISH NATURE BOOK 



Pigeon, Wood (RING DOVE). Distinguished by its large size, and large patch 

 of white on the neck, and white on wing when flying. The bird is resident, but 

 its numbers increase in winter by immigration from North Europe. Generally 

 builds in high trees a slight structure of twigs, but sometimes uses old nests 

 or squirrels' dreys, laying two glossy white eggs. Its food is grain, peas, beech 

 mast, acorns, clover and turnip leaves. Its note is the familiar cooing 

 " Take two coo-oos, Paddy." At times the bird is a veritable plague to the 

 farmer, in destroying his crops. 



Ptarmigan. One of the Grouse family, but you must journey to the moun- 

 tains of Scotland to see it. It breeds entirely on the Scottish hills, where 

 it is stationary except for its descents to the valleys and moors for the winter. 



The nest is to be sought high up seldom below 2,000 feet a mere hollow, 

 more or less scantily lined. The eggs are like those of the Red Grouse (which 

 see), " whitish with a reddish tinge, blotched and spotted darker." 



The bird is to be distinguished from its relatives by the white on the wings. 

 The Red Grouse is the onty one which comes near it in size, being only slightly 

 larger ; but the colouring is quite distinct. 



The Ptarmigan undergoes three changes of plumage in the year, as 

 follows : 



MALE. FEMALE. 



April-July. Blackish upper parts, deco- Brownish upper parts, deco- 

 rated with grey; whitish rated with buff, grey, and 

 under parts, with brownish white, 

 upper breast. 



Aug.-Oct. Grey upper parts, decorated Darker than the male, 

 with black and white; 

 under parts almost entirely 

 white. 



Nov.-March. All white except tail feathers Like male, but no black on the 

 and round the eye. head at all. 



The bird feeds on the shoots and fruits of "blaeberry," blackberry, 

 and small red cranberry; also on young plant leaves and lichens, especially 

 reindeer moss. 



The note is a mournful croak, and an alarm of " Ack-ack-ack." 

 Puffin. One of the most singular of the Auk family indeed, of all British 

 birds. It is a summer visitor which breeds on all our coasts, but chiefly where 

 cliffs are found not in great numbers in the south. Nothing is known of its 

 journeys, but it appears with the utmost regularity each year at its breeding 

 places. It is recognized by its curiously coloured beak and orange-red legs ; 

 and its strange, dignified pose has given it the nickname of " POPE," whilst 

 that red beak has won for it the opprobrious name of " BOTTLE-NOSE." As 

 a matter of fact, the beak is larger in summer than in winter, for the hinder 

 part, which is slate-blue, scales off after the breeding season, together with the 



