OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 5 



twenty days. Both parents assist in the task, and in ministering to the wants of 

 the young. It should be remarked that in all the species of this family the 

 excreta of the young are never removed, and, caking together, soon form a firm 

 platform with the twigs, on which the heavy nestlings rest secure. The young 

 are brought to maturity by being fed with half-digested food regurgitated from 

 the crop of the old birds. The Eing Dove has been known to breed in confine- 

 ment, and also to hybridise with the domestic Pigeon. 



Diagnostic cJiaracters. — [Adult] Columba, with a conspicuous white 

 bar on the wings, and white patches on the sides of the neck ; [Young] with a 

 white wiiig bar, neck patches absent. Length, 16 to 17 inches. It might here 

 be remarked that the irides of this bird, as is the case with many other species, 

 change in colour with age. Thus in the young bird they are very dark, nearly 

 black, whilst in the adult they are brilliant yellow. 



