38 COLUMBINE. 



The Wood Pigeon is a very shy bird, and difficult to 

 approach. The best way to obtain an opportunity of shoot- 

 ing them is to lie in wait for them, thoroughly concealed by 

 hedges or bushes. During the greater part of the day this 

 bird perches on the upper branches of lofty trees, amongst 

 the thickest foliage, pluming itself or resting. When on the 

 wing it flies with great swiftness, and generally at a consi- 

 derable height in the air, unless the wind is very strong. 

 Its roosting-place is also on the branch of a lofty tree, but is 

 usually so much hidden by the foliage, that it is rarely to be 

 discovered, unless it is started on the wing. The Wood 

 Pigeon runs about on the ground with an easy and graceful 

 gait, nodding its head at every step : its body then takes a 

 horizontal direction, and its tail is kept clear of the ground 

 without any effort for that purpose on the part of the bird. 

 On the slightest appearance of danger, or on the approach of 

 mankind, the Wood Pigeon stretches out its neck, and takes 

 wing. When this bird flies without being afraid, its flight is 

 rather slow and almost heavy, but under other circumstances 

 it shoots through the air with wonderful velocity, by means 

 of very regular and rapid strokes of the wings. 



The Wood Pigeon is considered by some persons to 

 be less sociable than others of its family ; but in this 

 opinion we do not altogether agree, for of no other species 

 of pigeons do we at any time see such numbers congre- 

 gated together in the winter ; and we are in the habit of 

 seeing several Wood Pigeons daily, walking about a stubble 

 field of one of our neighbours, in company with twenty or 

 thirty tame pigeons. It is also well known that several 

 pairs of Wood Pigeons are frequently found associating 

 together, and bringing up their young in company, and 

 we believe that no animosity has ever been known to 

 exist between them. 



