. An illustrated manual of British birds . rictly monogamous, andin summer is generally seen in pairs, but in cold weather becomesgregarious. Exceptionally it has been known to breed in confine-ment, and also to produce a hybrid with the domestic Pigeon. Itsnote is the well-known coo too, coo coo. The adult male has the head bluish-grey ; sides and back of theneck glossed with violet and green, bounded on each side by a patchof white; mantle brownish-grey; wing-coverts grey, broadly edgedwith white, which forms a conspicuous bar ; lower back slate-grey ;tail-feathers nearly black, except at th
. An illustrated manual of British birds . rictly monogamous, andin summer is generally seen in pairs, but in cold weather becomesgregarious. Exceptionally it has been known to breed in confine-ment, and also to produce a hybrid with the domestic Pigeon. Itsnote is the well-known coo too, coo coo. The adult male has the head bluish-grey ; sides and back of theneck glossed with violet and green, bounded on each side by a patchof white; mantle brownish-grey; wing-coverts grey, broadly edgedwith white, which forms a conspicuous bar ; lower back slate-grey ;tail-feathers nearly black, except at their bases ; breast rich vinous-purple, belly paler, flanks and vent ash-grey. Length 17 in. ; wing10 in. The female is smaller and somewhat duller in colour. Theyoung before their first moult have no white on the sides of theneck, and their tints are less pure, but the adult plumage is assumedthe first year. Varieties more or less spotted with white, and evenperfect albinoes, are sometimes met with. Weight, from 17-26 ozs. COLUMBID^,. 469. THE STOCK-DOVE. CoLUiMBA (ENAS, Linnreus. The Stock-Dove has often been confounded with the white-rumped Rock-Dove, and even its name has erroneously been sup-posed to signify that it was the origin of our domestic breed, thoughreally referring to its habit of nesting in the stocks of trees :whence also the Danish Huldue,and the Oerman Hohltaube,both meaning Hole-Dove. In the south of England it has greatlyincreased in numbers of late years, and, though somewhat local, itis tolerably frequent in most districts where old timber exists ; forinstance, in the remains of our ancient forests, and in our parks,even when close to London. It is this species—and not the Rock-Dove—which inhabits the wooded crags near Ventnor in the Isleof Wight, as well as the cliffs of Dorset and some parts of Devon ;it even nests in the rocks at Flamborough Head in Yorkshire,though there its white-rumped congener is also found. In sandysoils, such as are met with
Size: 1660px × 1504px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidillustra, booksubjectbirds
