niNG PIGEON, OR CUSHAT. 
135 
come fully fledged, and they remain thus united till 
the beginning of February^ when the first mild days 
and the genial influence of the ascending sun again 
call forth those instinctive feelings which urge them 
to separate and pair, and each to seek an appropriate 
retreat for the rearing of a future brood. At first 
when thus congregated, they haunt the stubbles, or, 
in districts producing an abundance of beech-mast 
or acoms, the woods and trees ; but as these re- 
sources become exhausted, they resort to the turnip 
fields, the leaves and tops of which root they greedi- 
ly devour. This food now constitutes their princi- 
pal support during the winter and early spring m on ths, 
or until the clover begins to sprout, and the seed-corn 
is committed to the earth, and it has been observed 
that the increase of the species has been progressive 
with that of the culture of this valuable root. The 
numerous and extensive plantations that of late years 
have been so generally made throughout the island, 
and which, in a young and close growing state, are 
peculiarly favourable to its habits, must also be taken 
into account, and perhaps these tend, in an equal de- 
gree to the cause above assigned, to the rapid in- 
crease of its numbers. When thus united, they re- 
pair to their feeding- ground early in the morning, and 
again in the afternoon before they retire to roost, the 
middle of the day being passed in repose or digest- 
ing their first meal, upon the nearest trees. When 
thus perched, some are always upon the watch, and 
