measure about seventeen inches, and from tip to tip of the 

 expanded wings twenty -nine inches. 



Various attempts have been made to domesticate the ring- 

 dove, but hitherto without much success. Not only do they 

 decline to breed with our common pigeons, but it is very rare 

 that they wiU produce a brood among themselves. After a 

 few weeks' confinement they appear to be thoroughly tamed, 

 but should an opportunity occur they cannot resist the invi- 

 tation of Uberty, and though they may for awhile hover about 

 your premises, will seldom come dose enough to bo recaptured. 



THE STOCK DOVE. 



It would seem that the name given to this bird, a ad which 

 is derived from the circumstance of its building its nest in the 

 stocks or stumps of trees, has led to the erroneous idea that 

 it is to this bird that the whole tribe of pigeons owe their 

 origin. In size it is about the same as a common pigeon. 

 The beak is about an inch long, dove-shaped, and of a 

 whitish flesh-colour, having a pucplieh tinge at the nostrils. 

 In the young the beaks are at first dark horn-coloured, but be- 

 come white as they gain maturity ; the forehead is fuU and 

 rounded ; the iris of the eye dark brown ; the neck is shorter 

 and thicker in appearance than the common pigeon's ; the 

 shanks are short and dull red, feathered slightly over the hocks ; 

 the toes fiexible, and the nails black. There are two black spots 

 on the wings, which do not run across the wings in two distinct 

 bars as in most blue house pigeons ; the rump is greyish-blue ; 

 the tail barred with black at the extremity; and has the light band 

 across the underside of the feathers like the ring-dove ; and the 

 marginal edge of the outer tail feathers is not so white as in 

 the tame pigeons ; in other respects they difier much from the 

 house-pigeons. 



If taken from the nest within a fortnight of being hatched it 

 is possible to tame them, but to tame an adult wild stock-dove 

 would be about as easy as domesticating a water-rat. Placed 

 with other pigeons with whom they have been reared from the 

 nest, they wiU settle comfortably enough tiU the autumn, and 

 the season for migrating approaches, and then off and away 

 never to return. 



