THE RING-DOVE. 



443 



nest, and fastening it to the branch. The young birds are thereby prevented from escaping, 

 and are sure to be at hand when wanted. Even when adult the King-Dove is a favorite article 

 of food, and is shot by hundreds when they flock together in the cold weather. They also 

 exhibit a decided partiality for certain roosting-places, and can be shot by waiting under the 

 trees to wdiich they have taken a liking. 



The food of this Dove consists of grain and seeds of various kinds, together with the 

 green blades of newly sprung corn, and the leaves of turnips, clover, and other vegetables. 

 Quiet and harmless as it may look, the Ring-Dove is a wonderful gormandizer, and can con- 

 sume great quantities of food. The crop is capacious to suit the appetite, and can contain 

 a singular amount of solid food, as indeed seems to be the case with most of the Pigeon tribe, 

 so that when the birds assemble together in the autumn, the flocks will do great damage to the 

 farmer. 



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KING-DOVE and STOCK DOVE— Columba jxUumbus and anas. 



The Ring-Dove may be easily known by the peculiarity from which it derives its name, 

 the feathers upon the side of the neck being tipped with white so as to form portions of rings 

 set obliquely on the neck. The head, chin and pail of the neck are blue-gray ; the remainder 

 of the neck and the breast are purple-red, and the bare skin about the base of the beak is 

 nearly white. The upper parts of the body are also blue-gray, but of a more slaty hue than 

 the head and neck. The wings are also of the same dark hue. the primary quill -feathers 

 having black shafts and a narrow band of white extending along the edges of their outer webs. 

 The wing-coverts are mostly blue-gray, but some of the feathers are more or less white, so that 

 when the bird spreads its wings they form a very bold white patch, but when the wings are 

 closed the white feathers of the coverts only form a line along the top of the wing. The tail 



