TURTLE-DOVE.— rHc/wr auritus 



The Turtle-Dove is far more common in the southern than in the northern counties, and I 

 have reason to believe that in Derbyshire, where I was greatly fond of bird-nesting for some 

 years, it is not of very frequent occurrence, at least as far as personal experience goes, 

 which, however, is only of a negative character in this instance. The white eggs are 

 rather more sharply pointed than those of the Wood-Pigeon, but all the English Pigeons' 

 eggs are much alike and can with difficulty be distinguished from each other. 



The food of the Turtle-Dove mostly consists of seeds, such as corn, peas, rape, and 

 similar seeds. 



It is a bird of strong flight, and on its migrating journeys prefers to travel in company, 

 associating in little flocks of ten or twelve. The end of August and September are the 

 periods most in favour for the annual emigration. 



The Turtle-Dove may be readily known by the four rows of black feathers tipped with 

 white, which are found on the sides of the neck. The top of the head is ashen slate, 

 deepening into a browner hue on the back of the neck. The chin and neck are pale 

 brown, tinged with purple upon the breast. The upper surface of the body is pale brown 

 mottled with a darker hue, and the wing-coverts are another shade of brown edged with 

 warm ruddy chestnut. The quill-feathers of the wing are brown, and the upper tail- 

 coverts are also brown with a slight ruddy tinge. The two central tail feathers are of 

 the same colour, and the remaining feathers are dark brown tipped with white. Both 

 edges of the tail are also white. The abdomen and under tail-coverts are white. The 

 eye is chestnut, and under it there is a little patch of bare pink skin ; .the legs and toes 

 are brownish yellow, and the beak is brown. The yormg birds of the year are differently 

 shaded with brown, the head is ^vholly of that colour, the wing-coverts are tipped with 



