THE TURTLE-DOVE. 487 



coverts, 3rd longest, 2nd occasionally as long but usually 1-4 mm; 

 shorter, 4th 3-7 shorter, 5th 16-20 shorter, 6th 27-34 shorter ; 

 3rd to 5th emarginated outer webs. Tail graduated, outermost 

 pair 15-20 mm. shorter than central, 12 feathers, tips rounded. 

 Tail-coverts about two-thirds as long as tail. Bill and feet as in 

 Wood-Pigeon, but tarsus not feathered. 



Soft parts. — Bill blackish, tip yellowish-horn ; legs and feet 

 dark pink ; iris yellow to yellow-brown ; bare orbital space pink. 



Characters and allied forms. — S. t. arenicola (N. Africa, Pales- 

 tine to Persia and Turkestan) is considerably paler on upper- and 

 under -parts ; S. t. isabellina (Egypt) and 8. t. hoggara (Mts. 

 Central Sahara) are sandy-coloured on upper -parts and tips of 

 tail-feathers. Small size and brown and rufous upper-parts and 

 wing-coverts and white-tipped black feathers of neck-patches 

 distinguish Turtle-Dove from other British Pigeons. 



Field -characters. — Lacks blue-grey of other British. Pigeons, 

 and is altogether smaller and slighter. Its dominant ■ colour is 

 ochreous-yellow spotted with black, and adult has a black and 

 white patch on side of neck. Long graduated tail, black with a 

 broad edging of white, conspicuous in flight. Less addicted to 

 thick woods than Wood-Pigeon, haunts shrubberies, copses, park- 

 lands, commons and open country if there are bushes and un- 

 trimmed hedgerows. Feeds on ground like other Pigeons, which it 

 resembles in its soaring and planing love -flight and general habits. 

 Note, a purring " turr, turr." 



Breeding-habits. — Haunts edges of woodlands, high hedges and 

 is very partial to blackthorn and whitethorns for breeding purposes 

 as well as spruce plantations. Nest. — A very slight and flimsy 

 structure of fine twigs allowing eggs to be seen from below, generally 

 in bush or on branch of tree but exceptionally on ground. Eggs. — 

 2 (3 recorded), white, glossy. Average of 95 British eggs, 30.6 X 22.9. 

 Max.: 33.4x23.8 and 31.6x24.6. Min. : 27.7x22 and 30x21 

 mm. Breeding -season. — Generally from mid-May to June and even 

 July ; exceptionally early May. Incubation — By both sexes. 

 Period 13-14 days. Two broods often reared. 



Food. — Corn is picked up to some extent ; also leaves of sainfoin 

 and seeds of many species of weed, especially common fumitory, 

 of which over 1000 (and 700 seeds in a second instance) have been 

 found in one crop ; also seeds of plantain, persicary, chickweed, etc. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Summer -resident 3rd week 

 April-end May (early dates Feb., 1898, Sussex, Feb. 28, 1913, 

 Scilly, Mar. 31, 1910, Dorset) to 3rd week Aug.-lst week Oct. (late 

 dates Oct. 28, 1908, Hants., Nov. 20, 1918, I. Man, Dec. 21, 1894, 

 Cumberland). Breeds chiefly south, east, and midlands ; infre- 

 quent Cornwall and western Wales, but has spread to Bangor 

 (Carnarvon) and west Merioneth and Montgomery, much increased 

 Cheshire, infrequent but increasing Lanes., very rare (but has bred) 



