66 BIRD BEHAVIOUR 



fowl-like beak of this bird looks much more suitable 

 for such a diet than for aquatic herbage, for which 

 the broad . bills of Swans and Ducks are better 

 fitted ; and in fact the most purely terrestrial 

 Geese show a great reduction in the size of the beak 

 compared with the rest, of the family. So that, as 

 in the case of the JCea, the new habit seems quite 

 in conformity with the structure. 



It has been noted in New Zealand, also, that the 

 native Pigeon {Carfofhaga novce-zealandiee), natur- 

 ally purely a tree-bird and a feeder on berries and 

 buds,' has been found feeding on the ground in 

 rape-fields ; and a similar change has very probably 

 taken place in the habits of our Wood-Pigeon, 

 which in the primitive state of Europe was probably 

 much more exclusively a feeder on tree-produce 

 than it is to-day, when the grain and root-crops, 

 and the clover of the meadows, tempt it to feed 

 a great deal on the ground ; here it can be seen 

 to be not quite in its element, for it is far less quick 

 in walking than the common Pigeon, a true ground- 

 feeder, and seems not to be able to run, always 

 taking wiAg when pressed. 



The Wood-Pigeon, as can be easily observed in 

 our London parks, is a good example of the extra- 

 ordinary gluttony of some birds ; there is some 

 excuse for its greedy feeding when its food consists 

 of herbs, buds, etc., but it keeps up the custom 

 on receiving the public dole of bread and monkey- 

 nuts, which latter it swallows with the husk enclosing 

 them. One evening I began to toss a few of these 



