Part 39

The adult is a delicate bluish grey all over, having a violet green metallic patch on the sides of the neck, bounded on each side by a patch of white. The breast is a rich vinous purple. Tail and wing feathers nearly black. Bill yellow; legs red. The sexes are alike; and the young resemble their parents, but are duller in colour and lack the metallic and white patch on the sides of the neck. Length 17 in.; wing 10 in.

THE STOCK DOVE Columba oenas, Linnæus

The Stock Dove is rather smaller and considerably less common than the previous species, but is nevertheless by no means uncommon in England, and has greatly increased of late years, especially in Scotland. In Ireland it is still a rare and local species. The name "Stock Dove" is not due, as many erroneously suppose, to its being the race from which our domestic Pigeons spring, but to its habit of nesting in the stocks and boles of old timber. Such places are, however, by no means exclusively used, for it also nests in caves, ledges of cliffs, and rabbit-burrows. Otherwise its habits are not materially different from those of the Wood Pigeon. As a rule it goes about in pairs, and large flocks are never met with, even when migrating from its more northerly breeding quarters.

It is a smaller and duller bird than the Wood Pigeon, lacking the white spot on the neck; while the vinous purple on the breast is not nearly so bright. There are traces of two indistinct wing bars. Length 13·5 in.; wing 8·8 in.

THE ROCK DOVE Columba livia, J. F. Gmelin

The Rock Dove is the original species from which most of our domestic varieties have been derived. It is only on the wildest and most inaccessible parts of our coast that this species can now be found in its pure state, as in all the more inhabited portions it has become interbred with feral domestic birds. It is a resident with us, breeding in caves along the coast, although on the Continent it also frequents inland and mountainous regions. The nest, built of sea-weed, is placed on a small ledge near the roof of a cave, those into which the sea comes up with each tide being chosen by preference.

They breed very early, and at least two broods are reared in a season, and in small caves which are only tenanted by one pair, two nests may often be found and are used alternately, the second clutch being usually laid before the young of the first brood are ready to fly. It is worthy of note that in this and many other species, where for the young to move from the nest before they are fledged would mean instant death, they remain actually in the nest itself till fully fledged, and do not take their first flight till they are almost as strong on the wing as the old birds.

This habit is in marked contradistinction to Rooks and many other small birds that leave the nest and perch on the branches round, long before they can fly. The Gulls form also another example, as by nature they would and do run from the nest, if the nest is on the ground, but if placed on a narrow ledge they hardly move from it until fully fledged.

In habits this bird resembles the other Pigeons; though its method of courting, which must be well known to most people, is slightly different. The male has a curious habit, shared also by the Stock Dove, of driving the hen for a few days before she lays. On these occasions his whole time is spent in keeping her on the move, and he never lets her settle or rest for a minute except on the nest.

The sexes are alike, and pale grey all over, except the rump, which is white. Across the wing are two distinct and clear-cut black bars, while the metallic patch on either side of the neck is rather more extensive than in the Stock Dove. Length 14 in.; wing 8·8 in.

THE TURTLE DOVE Turtur communis, Selby

This small species is only a summer immigrant with us, arriving early in May and leaving again for its winter home in Southern Europe and Africa in September. In England it is a common and widely distributed species, but in Scotland and Ireland it is rare, only occurring on migration, though it may sometimes have nested in the former country.

It frequents woods, coppices, and tall hedgerows, constructing a frail nest of twigs on which to lay its two white eggs. It feeds on seeds and grain, gathering in large flocks in the open fields in autumn before migrating. The note is a prolonged purring "coo."

The male has the head, nape, wing coverts, rump, and flanks bluish ash, and a patch of black feathers tipped with white on each side of the neck. Rest of the back dark brown with broad rufous edges to each feather. Throat and breast pale vinaceous, rest of under parts white. Tail feathers dark brown, tipped with white. Length 11·25 in.; wing 6·8 in.

A single example of the Rufous Turtle Dove (Turtur orientalis, Latham) was obtained near Scarborough. It inhabits India and the East, and hardly differs from our common species, but may be distinguished by its slaty blue rump.

PALLAS' SAND GROUSE Syrrhaptes paradoxus (Pallas)

The real home of this species is east of the Caspian, spreading through Asia to Mongolia and Southern Dauria. On several occasions during the last fifty years Europe has witnessed an extraordinary immigration of these birds, which spread westwards in countless numbers. The first wave to reach our islands arrived during the latter half of 1859, and four years later a larger invasion took place, the birds spreading throughout the country. The largest immigration, however, took place in 1888, in which year several pairs nested with us in Yorkshire and other places. In 1889 a special Act of Parliament was passed for their protection, but it came too late, for by that date they had all been slaughtered or had left for more peaceful localities.

The eggs are two in number and of a warm stone buff colour, with purplish blotches; they are laid in a depression in the ground with no attempt at a nest. Their food consists almost entirely of seeds and grain. The general colour is yellowish buff, greyer on the head and barred on the back with black. Under parts greyish buff, mottled on the gorget and banded on the belly with black. Feathers of the vent and feet white. The female and young are duller and more uniformly spotted. Length 14·75 in.; wing 9·1 in.

THE CAPERCAILLIE Tetrao urogallus, Linnæus

Although originally an inhabitant of Great Britain, this species became extinct over a hundred years ago from causes which are by no means clear. In 1837 it was introduced into Perthshire and a few other districts in Scotland, where it has increased largely, and is at the present time gradually spreading southwards through the pine, oak, and birch forests.

It is essentially a forest-haunting species, rarely, if ever, wandering far from the woods, where its call of "peller, peller, peller," may be continually heard during the spring months, and sometimes again in autumn.

Like most game birds, it is polygamous, and an old cock is very jealous of his hens, savagely attacking other males that come near him. When courting he performs various evolutions, drooping his wings and erecting his tail, and calling out vigorously at the same time. Their food consists chiefly of various seeds and berries, and in their season the tender shoots of the Scotch fir.

The nest is merely a "scrape" in the ground, generally at the foot of a tree, and the eggs, some twelve in number, are reddish brown spotted and blotched, with darker shades of the same colour. The young feed largely on insects and worms, and are especially fond of ants. The male takes no part in the incubation or tending of the young.

The male is very dark grey on the upper parts, breast glossy green, and the remainder of the under parts black. The feathers of the chin and throat are elongated. Length 36 in.; wing 16 in.

The female, who is much smaller, is brownish all over, mottled and barred with buff and white. Length about 26 in.

THE BLACK GROUSE Tetrao tetrix, Linnæus

On the moors and woods of Scotland this is a common species, and it is also found locally in a few places in the west of England, but in some of its other English haunts, notably the New Forest, it has died out.

Like the Capercaillie, they are polygamous, and gather together in spring, the cocks fighting and showing off in a variety of evolutions to the hens. Eventually each cock retires with his hens, and breeding commences in earnest. The nest is merely a scrape in the heather or on the outskirts of a wood, and the eggs, generally ten in number, are yellowish, spotted with reddish brown. The young feed chiefly on insects, but when adult, grain, berries, and the tender shoots of many plants constitute their diet. In autumn they visit the harvest-fields in large numbers at daybreak and dusk. The adult male is bluish black all over, with white under tail coverts and a white wing bar. Length 22 in.; wing 10·5 in. The female, usually known as the "Greyhen," is of a warm brown, barred and marked with black.