THE KING DOTE. 463 



account of the vinous claret colour of the plumage of the neck ; 

 and Stock Dove, not because it was by some considered to be the 

 origin of our domestic stock, but because it builds on the stocks 

 of trees, particularly such as have been headed down, and have 

 become in consequence rugged and bushy at the top. In the 

 open counties of Suffolk and Norfolk, this species frequently 

 makes its nest in holes in the ground, generally selecting a rabbit's 

 burrow for the purpose." ME. JENYNS say^s " the Stock Dove 

 inhabits woods with the Ring Dove, but is less plentiful and 

 more local ; not uncommon in some of the midland and eastern 

 counties, where it remains the whole year. Builds in the hollow 

 of pollard trees, and lays two eggs ; does not coo like the Ring 

 Dove, but utters a hollow rumbling note, heard at intervals 

 throughout the spring and summer months ; flocks with the 

 Ring Dove in winter, and supports itself in the same manner." 



181. THE RING DOVE. 

 Columba Palumbus, LIN. Le Ramier, BUF. Die Ringeltaube, BECH. 



Description. This bird, which is seventeen inches and a 

 half in length, and the largest of our European Wild Pigeons, 

 is supposed by some naturalists to be the original of our large 

 domestic Pigeons. It is, however, not so easy to tame as the 

 Stock Dove : seems not to like the company of House Pigeons, 

 and will not build, like them, in holes provided for the purpose, 

 but prefers to choose its own position for a nest. 



The beak is reddish white ; the iris whitish yellow ; the feet 

 reddish. The head and the throat are dark ashen grey ; the 

 front of the neck and the breast grey, inclining to purple ; the 

 side and back of the neck beautifully iridescent. A large 

 crescent-shaped white spot adorns the side of the neck near the 

 base, but does not quite surround it. The belly, vent, and 

 thighs, are whitish grey ; the plumage of the side light ashen 

 grey ; the top of the back, shoulders, and small wing coverts 

 greyish brown ; the rump ashen grey. The coverts of the first 

 row of pen feathers are black ; the first great wing coverts 

 white, which occasions a white spot on the wings. The 

 remaining coverts are ashen grey ; the tail feathers grey, 

 gradually inclining to black towards the end. 



Habitat. This Pigeon inhabits the temperate zone of Europe 

 and Asia, and is therefore common in the woods of Germany. 

 It is a bird of passage, departing in small flocks in the beginning 

 of October, and returning in or after the middle of March, but 



