C OITTMBA
i Gonidi and/ SGJUchter deh eb Tith/. Walter Imp
COLUMBA OENAS, Linn.
Stock-Dove.
Columba cenas, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 75.
Palumbcma columbella, Bonap. in Parz. Cat. des Ois. d’Eur., p. 9. sp. 311.
I n form, size, and colouring, the Stock-Dove is directly intermediate between the Ring-Dove and the Kock-
Dove, and it is equally so in its economy, particularly in its habit o f flocking together during the months oi
autumn and winter, as well as in its mode of breeding, or rather the situations chosen for its nest ; for while
the Ring-Dove almost invariably places its light nest on the flat branches of trees, that o f the Rock-Dove i>
constructed in caverns and holes in the rocks; the Stock-Dove, on the other baud, usually nestles in holes
o f pollard trees or on their tops, near the bole or in a fork formed by the bifurcation o f two branches :
but, as will be seen below, it has been stated to lay in other situations ; these, however, must be regarded
as exceptional.
British ornithologists are somewhat divided in their belief as to whether this bird is a migratory o r a
stationary species. I t may be both ; for the bird is certainly found here in winter as well as in "summer, l>t;;
I believe I have certain-evidence of j^eat numbers arriving ¡in our island from the'south during the months
of spring. I t appears to be as plentiful in all the central parts of the European continent as it is with us.
Bailly states that it is abundant in Savoy during its spring and autumn migrations; Mr. Wright informs us
that it visits Malta a t the same seasons, but does not remain to breed ; Captain Loche enumerates P .
atnohg-the birds of Algeria; and examples were sent to the Zoological Society from Persia. I have'Aver
seen an example from India; and Mr. Jerdon does not include it in his work on the birds of that country,
it evidently does not go far north ; for Macgillivray states that it is never found in Scotland, and it is not
mentioned in Thompson’s * Natural History of. Ire lan d ;’ yet M. Nilsson includes it among the birds of
Sweden In England ¡it: is very generally dispersed over the central parts of the. country, from the New
Forest %) the great, rabbit-warrens of Sdffolk -and Norfolk. Among other situations near Londoiyin whifh
this bird annually breeds, I may- state, on the - authority of Mr. Jesse, that a few pairs .mko possession T
of the old oak-pollards in Richmond^Park ; and I have mÿsèÎf“o1>served it similarly engaged iiAl»c fine j
woods a f Cliefden, Hcdsor, aqd' Thplow, and I-‘have np doubt that it is equally numerous in all such *
situations m Middlesex Essex, and the other neighbouring comities. -In a very interesting. letter fndft
Mr. Alfred Newttwfwho some years ago kindly sent m e several examples ’"bf this ¡¡bird as studies for -tins
work, rimt gi&ntïêioaiî says, “ Wit h us these birds ^generally b rted in the rabbU-bqrrows ; and it is ,_a. very
enjoyable sight lo watch %,.pair at the mouth o f a' burrow on a fine afternoon in earfy spring, theTun warmly
lighting np the bright yellow sfuid so^as, to make it contrast beautifully svitl * th eif sober-coloured plumage.
The male, wfth his neck inflated almost to the size o f his body, with his wings droppings and id* tail out
spread, walks with rlmrried steps backwar^ anil forvvard^on the short rabbit-cropped turf above the hole, at
the same time rolling Out hisAoud rumbling love-story to his mate as she lies lazily on the loose dry sand.
Crouching dovvif behind à bank antUfgazing ''arouiidfwe fiyd nothing to break, the horizon save a ragged
feru-HtflÜ or the ears of a rabbit 'nibbling the laWn-like g r a s s :# nidie Wheatear may, perhaps,-suddenly
spring dp, perform ins odd series of gesticulations, and sin g ; but there; is little else to enliven the scene,
and all une-s atfëntibu is directed ¡to lie principal objects in it—the bappÿ pair o f Stock-HÔVes. When
they return to the burrow after having been out to feed, ^flWd are about to alight, the male .performs the
same evolutions that, the male tame Pfgeon ddesIlisoarhig rdund*in ciiéles and smiting bis wings. One can
generally recognize the>hifd a t m\y distafrce lyf this^peeidiariiy«!’''
Mr. Harting infppns me that this bird sometimes bre^ds^n roéks, and, in his letter on the subject, says—
“ During the ne'sftg-seaspn of 4>885,,^spen.t a fortnight on the Dorsetshire coast, and explored the
cliffs between St. Aldham’s Head and Weymouth, in ordet^to ascertain what birds were breeding in that
locality. 1 had been told that I should find the Rock-Dove (Columba lima) there, and should have little
difficulty in procuring examples of the bird and its eggs: although I was out from morning to night, I did
not even see the bird ; hut I found another Pigeon breeding among the cliffs in limited numbers. This,
even a t a glance, could not be mistaken fo # th e true Rock-Dove, as it had not the white rump, nor t f p
double bar on the wing, peculiar to that species. I did not suspect it to be the Stock-Dove, because roost
authors state that that bird * never breeds in rocks and cliffs like its congener the Rock-Dove;’ 1 therefore
supposed it might be a cross between the Stock-Dove and some escaped Dove-cote Pigeons. In order to
settle the point I obtained two young birds from a nest in the cliffs and brought them home with me. One
o f them by an accident escaped ; the other I have still in my aviary. I t is now in fine plumage, and fast