In Forest and Copse. 149 



Bawtry; we have seen it in the Wharncliffe Woods, 

 and occasionally in suitable spots in North Derby- 

 shire. It rarely reaches this northern fringe of its 

 British habitat before May, but in Devonshire it 

 may frequently be seen at the end of April. Its 

 migrations, however, are somewhat rapid, for there 

 is not much difference between the date of arrival 

 in northern and southern counties alike. This Dove, 

 like the Jay, loves woods with plenty of under- 

 growth and fields that are surrounded with tall 

 uncut hedges full of trees. Its noisy love-cry in 

 early summer we always think is one of the most 

 pleasing sounds of the green woods, but unfor- 

 tunately one that is not very frequent in our northern 

 shires. Its migration south begins in September. 



Of the Game Birds of the woodlands we shall 

 have little to say. The Pheasant, of course, is the 

 most familiar of all; comparatively few observers 

 are fortunate enough to meet with the magnificent 

 Capercailzie, and the Black Grouse is scarcely common 

 enough to be classed as a well-known one. We 

 often think it would have been better had the Ro- 

 mans left the Pheasant to its continental home, for 

 indirectly its introduction to our islands has caused 

 many a beautiful indigenous bird to suffer persecu- 

 tion. The Pheasant is by no means a harmless 

 bird; it works a good deal of mischief amongst the 

 crops, as many a poor struggling farmer knows; it 



