Order COLUMBi^;. 



Family COLUMBIDiE. 



THE WOOD-PIGEON. 

 Coluntba palumbus, Linnaeus. 

 Plate 53. 



The Wood-Pigeon or Ring-Dove, known in the northern parts of our country 

 as Cushat, is an abundant species throughout the British Islands and over a 

 great part of the Continent of Europe, ranging, according to the B.O.U. "List 

 of British Birds" (19 15), to North-east Persia and North-west Africa. 



The nest, containing the two white eggs, is lightly constructed of sticks, and 

 usually placed in trees, conifers being more often favoured than others, though 

 evergreens, including ivy on buildings, are often chosen. 



The well-known notes of the Wood-Pigeon, which produce a pleasing rever- 

 beration of sound, especially when heard in woods of tall pines, are familiar to 

 everyone, but what I take to be the true love-song of the male is entirely different, 

 being much softer in tone and more blended. I was not aware of this until I 

 became possessed of the very tame and fearless bird from which the drawing 

 on Plate 53 was taken. This bird I kept for some years in an aviary, and he 

 always assumed the crouching attitude depicted when uttering these love-notes, 

 while the pupils of the eyes contracted until sometimes they were mere specks. 

 At other times he would emit the ordinary Ring-Dove notes, but never, as far 

 as I could see, with his body held in this characteristic position. I believe that 

 this constitutes "the display" of the male when courting, but, owing to their 

 shyness, I have never had an opportunity of witnessing it in a wild bird. My 

 pigeon seemed to prefer the company of human beings to that of his own kind, 

 and often began to coo when closely approached, and would allow himself to be 

 handled. 



In autumn vast flocks of this species come over to us from the Continent of 



Europe, particularly when there is a good " beech-mast year," the seeds of the 



beech, as well as acorns, holly berries, and grain of all kinds, being chiefly sought 



after as food. It also eats turnip-tops, clover, and other green-stuffs. 



61 



