Its Necessary JVatcIi/ulncss. 95 



thing else. At the same time, I must confess that they are 

 great enemies to my cherry-trees, and swallow as many 

 cherries as they can hold. Nor are strawberries safe from 

 them, and the quantity of food they manage to stow away in 

 their crops is perfectly astonishing." 



Besides man, the wood-pigeon has its own bird-enemies. 

 " In districts where the hooded crow abounds," says the author 

 whom I have just quoted, " he is always on the look-out for its 

 eggs, which, shining out white from the shallow, unsubstantial 

 nest, are easily seen by him. The sparrow-hawk seizes the 

 young when they are half-grown and plump ; he having been 

 carefully noticed watching the nest day by day as if waiting for 

 the time when they should be fit for his eating. The larger 

 hawks, however, prey upon the poor wood-pigeon himself." 



With all his pleasant cooings in the wood, therefore, and all 

 his complacent strutting about with elevated head and pro- 

 truded breast — with all his gambols and graces, his striking the 

 points of his wings together as he rises into the air, to express 

 a pleasure to his mate beyond his cooing, he has not such a 

 care free life of it. He is always kept on the alert, therefore, 

 and, being always on the watch against clanger, is not at all a 

 sound sleeper. The least disturbance at night rouses him. 

 "I have frequently," continues our author, "attempted to 

 approach the trees when the wood-pigeons were roosting, but 

 even on the darkest nights they would take alarm. The poor 

 wood-pigeon has no other defence against its enemies than Its 

 ever watchful and never sleeping timidity ; not being able to do 

 battle against even the smallest of Its many persecutors." 



'Gilbert \\'hite says that the wood-pigeons were greatly 



