THE WOOD PIGEON. 
743 
winter in immense flocks. In the neighbourhood of 
Madrid I have seen bands of these birds, which may 
have numbered from five to eight hundred individuals; 
they were not less common in the Sierra Nevada. They 
are also often met with in Northern Africa, especially in 
Algiers, hut do not appear to go further southward. 
The Wood Pigeon is a very quick, timorous, and shy 
bird. Its gait is good, though not very rapid, and when 
walking it carries its body almost horizontally, nodding 
its head at every step. Its flight is magnificent, being 
fast and active: when rising it clacks its wings, and 
proceeds with a rushing noise through the air; the 
loudness of these two sounds render our bird recognizable 
from all other species. 
Excepting in the autumn, when it is met with in flocks, 
the Wood Pigeon is found in couples, or small bands. The 
male and female pair off soon after they reach us, and 
from -that time always remain in company. They next 
take up their abode in a certain portion of some wood, 
and seek a suitable place where to build their nest, the 
construction of which is soon commenced. In the early 
morning both birds fly, often to some distance, and perch 
on certain favourite trees; from the top of one of these 
the male proclaims his love to his mate, and the world at 
large: this is demonstrated by vigorous cooing, accom¬ 
panied by a variety of movements. The love-ditty of all 
Pigeons is difficult to describe; it resembles that of the 
domestic species. The cooing of the wild bird is deeper 
and more powerful than that of the tame one, and sounds 
somewhat like the syllables, “ aoo, coo, cooah,” &c. The 
female answers but rarely, and then with a softer, “ hoo, 
hoo.” During the pairing season the Wood Pigeon seems 
to lead quite a different life to what it does at other times : 
