COLUMBID.E. 



RASOBES. COLUMBIDJE. 



PLATE CXLVI. 



TURTLE DOVE. 



COLUMBA TURTTJR. 



The Turtle Dove is very generally distributed over most 

 parts of the known world, with the exception of the more 

 northern countries, being found in Europe, Asia, Africa, 

 the East Indies, China, Japan, and the islands in the South 

 Seas. This bird, being migratory, is found only during mild 

 weather in some of the northern countries ; and being also a 

 tender bird, its arrival takes place later than that of the 

 other pigeons, and its departure for the south earlier. Their 

 stay with us is generally from the latter end of April until 

 the end of August. 



The Turtle Dove differs from other pigeons in respect of 

 its attachment to its mate, as the males arrive some time 

 before the females, and they only pair for a season. 



The chosen locality of the Turtle Dove is a woody coun- 

 try, without caring whether it is hilly or flat ; but they appear 

 to avoid very mountainous parts, probably from the absence 

 there of well sheltered woods. Woods by the banks of 

 rivers, interspersed with fields and meadows, are their favour- 

 ite haunts, for both the seeds of the pine and those that are 

 found in the fields equally tend to supply their wants. The 

 Turtle Dove seems to be more nearly allied to the wood 



