366 THE STOCK-DOVE. 
breadth, was said to be nearly forty miles in length, and in which every tree 
was absolutely loaded with nests. All the smaller branches were destroyed 
by the birds, many of the 
large limbs were broken off 
and thrown on the ground, 
while no few of the grand 
forest-trees themselves were 
killed as surely as if the axe 
had been employed for their 
destruction. The Pigeons 
had arrived about the roth of 
April, and left it by the end 
of May. 
THE STOCK-DOVE derives 
its name from its habit of 
building its nest in the stocks 
; or stumps of trees. It is 
one of our British Pigeons, 
and is tolerably common in 
many parts of England. 
It is seldom found far 
northward, and even when 
it does visit such localities 
itis only as a summer resi- 
dent, making its nest in 
; ; B warmer districts. As has 
PASSENGER PIGEON.—(Ectopistes migratorius.) aiready been mentioned, (he 
nest of this species is made in the stocks or stumps of trees, the birds find- 
ing out some convenient hollow, and placing their eggs within. Other locali- 
ties are, however, selected for 
the purpose of incubation, 
among which a deserted 
rabbit burrow is among the 
most common. The nest is 
hardly worthy of the name, 
being a mere collection of 
dry fibrous roots, laid about 
three or four feet within the 
entrance, just thick enough 
.o keep the eggs from the 
ground, but not sufficiently 
woven to constitute a true 
nest. 
The head, neck, and back 
and wing-coverts are bluish 
grey, the primary quill fea- 
thers of the wing taking a 
deeper hue, the secondaries 
being pearl-grey deepening 
at the tips, and the tertials 
being blue-grey with two or 
three spots. The chin is 
blue-grey, the sides of the 
neck slaty-grey glossed wiza 
green, and the breast purplish red, The specific name of @zas, or “wince 
STOCK-DOVE. —( Columba enas.) 
lh 
