THE RINGDOVE. 



151 



its first appearance, on the island where my house 

 stands, early in February. This year it came, for 

 the first time, on the second of the month, and cooed 

 in full note. From this period, it may be seen here, 

 every day till October, either in the sycamore trees, 

 or in the ivy on the old ruined tower, or on the 

 lawn, picking up the tender sprouts of grass. Pro- 

 vided you approach with " cautious step and slow," 

 you may get within seven yards of different pairs 

 of these birds ; and when the window-sash is down, 

 they will come within a few paces of the place 

 %\^here you are standing, and allow you to gaze at 

 them for any length of time. After the first week 

 in October, they take their final leave of my island 

 for the winter ; and never, by any chance, pay us 

 even one single solitary visit till February sets in ; 

 though they may be seen every day in congregated 

 numbers in other parts of the park, where they 

 roost in the elm and fir trees. During the winter 

 months, they are exceedingly shy and timorous, 

 seeking for safety in lofty flight, the moment they 

 see you approach. They become quite silent to- 

 wards the last week in October, and their notes are 

 reduced to half their number for some days before 

 they cease to coo entirely. At this period they 

 discontinue those graceful risings and sinkings in 

 the air, in which they appear to so much advantage 

 during the whole of the breeding season. 



Thus we have a bird which, during the course of 

 the year, at one time approaches the haunts of man 

 with wonderful assurance, and at another shuns 

 them with a timidity equally astonishing. I speak 

 L 4 



