THE RING-DOVE, 271 



O, return ! — return ! and gladden 

 This poor heart, forlorn, yet true ; — 



Bid begone all cares that sadden ; — 

 Here waits Happiness for you ; 



You — you — you /( so ) 



< so ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Columba, (Lath.) Wood- 

 Pigeon. 



The Columba Palumbus, Wood-Pigeon, Ring-Dove, Ring- 

 Pigeon, Queeze, Quest, Wood-Quist, or Cushat,* is cinereous, tail 

 feathers black on the hind part ; primary quill feathers whitish 

 on the outer edge ; neck each side white ; eighteen inches long ; 

 iuhabits Europe, our own country, and, occasionally, Siberia; 

 heard sometimes near London, as, in Kensington Gardens. 

 Flesh of course good. It is indigenous to this country, and 

 migrates, most probably, only from the northern to the southern 

 parts. In winter they assemble in large flocks, and constantly 

 resort to woods to roost on the highest trees ; on which too they 

 build their nests, composed only of a few sticks, (see the Intro, 

 duction.) Eggs two, white, exactly oval, and larger than those 

 of the domestic pigeon, with which, and with this species, at- 

 tempts have been made to produce a breed, but without suc- 

 cess. Feeds on grain, seeds, &c. 



The cooing notes of the wood-pigeon are somewhat loud, yet 

 hoarse, and uttered very slowly ; they seem to be notes of 

 sorrow, and consist principally of such sounds as are conveyed 

 by the words two, two, two, taffy take two; they are probably 

 neither more nor less than the natural expressions of pleasurable 

 sensation peculiar to this tribe of birds. See note (7.) 



* " Perch'd on his wonted eyrie nigh, 

 Sleep seal'd the tercelet's wearied eye, 

 That all the day had watch'd so well 

 The cushat dart across the dell." 



Sir Walter Scott's Rokeby, Canto v'u 



