Family COLUMBID^E. Genus Columba. 



STOCK DOVE. 



COLUMBA MHAS—Brisson. 



Geographical Distribution.— -5«Vw/i . Resident through- 

 out England and Wales both inland and near the coast, but more 

 locally distributed than the Ring Dove. Very rare and acci- 

 dental in Ireland and Scotland. Range steadily increasing. 

 Foreign : West Palsearctic region. From Scandinavia east to the 

 Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and Asia Minor. A summer 

 visitor only to the northern portions of its range, which extends 

 in the west up to lat. 62° and in the east up to lat. 57°. Breeds 

 throughout Central and Southern Europe and North-west Africa. 

 Rare in Palestine, and doubtfully recorded from Egypt. 



Allied Forms. — Columba eversmanni, an inhabitant of 

 Central Asia. Differs from the Stock Dove in having a pale 

 rump, vinous crown, and black base to the bill ; slightly smaller. 

 Represented on the North Atlantic African islands by several 

 allied but quite distinct species. 



Time during which the Stock Dove may be taken.— 



August I St to March ist; otherwise by authority of owner or 

 occupier of land. 



Habits. — Although so common and widely distributed 

 throughout the year, the Stock Dove is much less known to 

 sportsmen and naturalists than the preceding species. It is also 

 widely confused with the Rock Dove, in spite of the fact that the 

 two species are very different in appearance. Although this 

 species may be met with frequently on the coast (in Tor Bay it is 

 the only Pigeon of the cliffs, but practically deserts these places 

 during winter), and even in quarries and on moors and downs, it 

 is most abundant in wooded districts, especially where the timber 



