PIGEONS AND DOVES. 



RING-DOVE, or WOOD -PIGEON.— 17 inches. 

 Head and neck blue-gray, with greenish gloss on 

 hind-neck, and a white patch at each side of it ; 

 upper parts gray, with white patches on the wings, 

 very noticeable during flight ; lower back and tail 

 blue-gray ; end of tail banded broadly blackish ; breast 

 purplish, passing into pale blue-gray on the belly ; 

 bill yellow, with red base ; feet red. Resident. 



Eggs. — 2, rounded, glossy- white ; 1 -6 x 1 "2 inch 

 (plate 129). 



Nest. — A loose platform of crossed sticks and twigg, 

 often in fir and yew trees, but also in many other 

 kinds of trees, as well as in ivy-covering on rocks, 

 walls, &c. 



Distribution, — General, though "only comparatively 

 recently extended to Scotland. 



The Wood-Pigeon is our largest Pigeon. It is a 

 bird of the woodland, constructing a slight, platform 

 of sticks for nest, laid on the spreading twigs of some 

 branch, often of a fir-tree, and rushing out with clap 

 of wings when disturbed. Its note, a gurgling ' Rod- 

 cooroocW-oo,' is known throughout the land. In 

 winter its numbers are greatly increased by migrants 

 from the Continent ; and, being voracious eaters of 

 grain, the birds are commonly to be seen in the 

 stubble lands and turnip-fields, and beneath oaks 

 and beeches, gathering acorns and mast. The white 



