4 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



the extraordinary confidence of the Ring Doves that of late years 

 especially have taken to frequenting some of the London parks. 

 The flight of the Ring Dove is rapid and powerful, and the white 

 patches on the wings and on the neck are very conspicuous as the 

 bird hurries along. The Ring Dove is a silent bird during winter, but 

 early in spring it regains its note, which is continued more or less 

 freely into the following September, and less frequently in October. 

 This note is a loud, full coo-roo-coo, most frequently repeated when 

 the bird is in the act of paying court to its mate. In autumn vast 

 flights of this bird congregate in chosen localities, migrants from 

 Scandinavia, which fraternise with our indigenous birds, and 

 frequent the open fields during the day, seeking the fir plantations 

 at dusk to roost, where their homeward flight oft affords good 

 sport to the gunner. The Ring Dove drinks frequently, and 

 is very fond of resorting to salt water. It is a most voracious 

 feeder, and in some districts commits great havoc on the 

 crops of beans and grain, and the tender shoots of clover. 

 During spring and summer it feeds largely on shoots of herbage, 

 mollusks, and seeds, and as the autumn advances grain of all 

 kinds, peas, acorns, beech-mast, fruits, berries, and even nuts are 

 devoured. In winter it has been known to feed on the tender 

 shoots of turnips, and even pieces of the turnips themselves. At 

 this season it will also frequent those places in the game coverts 

 where maize is spread for the Pheasants ; and here good 'sport 

 may often be obtained by lying in wait for the gluttonous pilferers. 

 This species does not frequent the coast anything near so much 

 as the Stock Dove. 



Nidification. — From what I have observed I am of the opinion 

 that the Ring Dove pairs for life, and yearly nests in the same 

 locality if not disturbed. This species is an early and a prolonged 

 breeder, commencing in March or April and continuing to rear 

 brood after brood until the autumn. The nest is placed in a 

 great variety of situations, both in evergreen and in deciduous 

 trees (the latter often before they are in leaf), and in bushes and 

 amongst ivy on cliffs or tree-trunks. Woods, plantations, odd 

 trees in the hedgerows or in the open fields are selected without 

 choice of situation, and the nest is placed at varying heights. 

 The nest is merely a few dead twigs arranged basket-like in a 



