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CHAPTER III. 



BRITISH WILD PIGEONS. 



" Wild pigeon " is a terra loosely applied. In 

 reality there are five British species. These 

 comprise the Ring-dove, the Stock-dove, the 

 Rock-dove, the Turtle-dove, and the Passenger 

 Pigeon. The beautifully burnished Ring-dove 

 is the wood-pigeon, or cushat — a large, hand- 

 some bird, abundant everywhere throughout 

 the country, and often seen in immense flocks 

 in the autumnal months. The Stock-dove is 

 a smaller bird. The Rock-dove is a little blue 

 pigeon, from which it is generally believed that 

 all our domestic varieties are descended. The 

 Turtle-dove is a summer migrant to our shores ; 

 and the American Passenger Pigeon can only 

 be looked upon as a casual visitant of very rare 

 occurrence. 



