COLUMBA 645 



In habits it does not differ from its allies, and like them 

 lays a single white egg in a nest made of twigs, which is placed 

 in a tree, usually a laurel, at a considerable height above the 

 ground. The egg is rather large, measuring T98 by T20, and 

 fresh eggs may be found at almost all seasons. 



892. RING-DOVE OR WOOD-PIGEON. 

 COLUMBA PALUMBUS. 



Columba palumbus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 282 (1766) ; Nauru, vi. p. 168, 

 Taf. 149 ; Gould, B. of E. pi. 243 ; Dresser, vii. p. 3, pi. 454 ; 

 Salvador!, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxi. p. 299 ; Saunders, p. 479 ; Lilford, 

 iv. p. 87, pi. 39 ; G. torquata, Leuch, Syst. Cat. M. and B. Brit. 

 Mus. p. 26 (1816) ; Gould, B. of Gt. Brit. iv. pi. 1. 



Golonibe ramier, French; Pombo torquaz, Portug. ; Paloma 

 torcaz, Span. ; Colombaccio, Ital. ; Ringeltaube, German ; Eingduif, 

 Dutch ; Ringdue, Dan. and Norweg. ; Ring-dufva, Swed. ; 

 Kaulu&kyyJiky, Finn. ; Wjachir, Lesnoi-Golub, Russ. 



<$ ad. (England). Head and neck dark dove-blue ; mantle brownish 

 grey ; wing-coverts dark bluish ; quills blackish, the primaries edged with 

 white, and a long white patch on the outer part of the wing ; rump, upper 

 tail-coverts, and base of tail dove-blue, the last darker ; terminal half of 

 tail black ; sides of neck glossed with violet and purple, on each side a 

 large white patch ; lower throat, breast, and abdomen rich vinous, merging 

 into pale dove-blue below ; bill bright red, becoming yellow towards the 

 tip ; legs coral-red ; iris straw-yellow. Culmen 1*05, wing 9*4, tail 6*5, 

 tarsus 12 inch. Female rather smaller and duller. 



Hob. Europe generally, north to about 65 s N. lat. ; Azores ; 

 Madeira ; North Africa ; Asia east to about Bagdad. 



In some of its habits it much resembles C. cenas, but never 

 breeds in holes of trees or in the ground ; wary and shy, where 

 not molested it becomes remarkably tame, as is the case in the 

 London parks. Its note is a deep coo-roo-coo-coo and is generally 

 uttered when the bird is sitting on an elevated perch. Its food 

 consists of grain of various kinds, beech-nuts, acorns, tender 

 shoots of plants, &c. Strictly monogamous, it rears at least 

 two broods in a season, the first eggs being laid in April, and 

 the second pair in June, and eggs have been found as late as 

 September. The nest is a very scanty structure of dry twigs, 

 or else a deserted nest of some other bird is made use of, 

 and the two eggs are pure white, and measuring about 1'56 

 by 118. 



