THE WOOD-PIGEON. 479 



three directed forwards and one on same level backwards, some- 

 what flattened underneath ; claws rather slender, slightly curved 

 and rather sharp. 



Soft parts. — Bill pink, tip yellowish to dull white ; legs and 

 feet pink with mauve tinge ; iris pale straw-colour. 



Characters and allied forms. — C. p. excelsa (N.W. Africa) 

 averages larger but measurements overlap ; C. p. maderensis 

 (Madeira) has considerably darker upper-parts and wing-coverts, 

 usually creamy neck-patches and averages smaller ; C. p. azorica 

 (Azores) is similar to last but stated to have outer tail-feathers 

 with less black tips ; C. p. casiotis (E. Persia, Baluchistan to 

 Turkestan) has dark cream-coloured neck-patches. Wood-Pigeon 

 easily distinguished from all other British Pigeons by white band 

 on wing. 



Field -characters. — White patch on side of neck (except in young) 

 and white bar across wing separate this large, heavily-built bird 

 from other British Pigeons. Usual haunts are woods, plantations 

 and copses, but most of its food is obtained on ground in fields and 

 open country. Assembles in large flocks from autumn to spring. 

 Rises with noisy clatter of wings. In flight, which is direct and 

 rapid, and accomplished by continuous wing-beats, breast pro- 

 tuberant, as in other Pigeons. Almost mute in winter, but from 

 March to October the love-call, a deliberate and thrice repeated 

 " kuk-oo-roo, coo-oo," ending with an abrupt " kuk," is frequent. 



Breeding-habits. — Habitat very general, wherever there are 

 trees. Nest. — Very slight, built of twigs often in high hedges or 

 whitethorn trees, among ivy in forest trees, etc. Exceptionally on 

 buildings in towns, on or close to ground in heath, and on ledges of 

 rocks in parts of Wales. Eggs. — 2 normally, 3 quite exceptional, 

 white, very glossy. Average of 100 British eggs, 41.1 X29.8. Max. : 

 47.8x33. Min. : 36.6x28 and 42.2x26.6 mm. Breeding -season.— 

 Usually April to Aug. or Sept., but nests on record in nearly every 

 month from Jan. and Feb. to Oct. Incubation. — By both sexes. 

 Period 17th day (W. Evans) ; 15 J days (Heinroth). Two or more 

 broods annually. 



Pood. — Literature of food extensive. Collinge summarizes 388 

 cases : Corn (chiefly barley and oats) 144 times (2480 grains), 

 clover and turnip leaves 123 times, potatoes 27 times, beans 19 

 times (133), peas 11 times (104), grass seeds 4 times. Many injurious 

 seeds also distributed through faeces. As many as 61 acorns have 

 been found in one crop, 28 hazel-nuts in another, and 1020 grains 

 of corn in a third. Although mainly a vegetable eater, larvae of 

 lepidoptera (Hybernia progemmaria and H. defoliaria), earthworms, 

 snails (Succinea), and small grey slugs have been recorded from 

 crops. Beech-mast, holly, and ivy-berries also largely eaten. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident, passage -migrant and 

 winter -visitor. Generally distributed, but only passage -migrant 



