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 
where 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 
