RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
Mergus serrator
The adult male is entirely white, except for the mantle and quills, which are jet black. The rump, upper tail coverts, and tail are bluish grey, and the flanks delicately vermiculated with the same colour. Stretching half-way across the breast is a narrow black bar, and a shorter but broader one starts a little farther back. There is a black patch between the bill and the eye on each side, and another high up on the occiput joining its fellow on the opposite side, this black crescent being broken by the overlapping of the slightly elongated feathers of the head.
The “eclipse” plumage somewhat resembles that of the immature male, from which it may always be distinguished by the mantle remaining black. The female is smaller; head and neck reddish brown; remainder of upper parts and breast ashy grey; under parts white. Length 17·5 in.; wing 7·6 in.
THE HOODED MERGANSER
Mergus cucullatus, Linnæus
This is a North American species, which has only very rarely visited our shores. It may be distinguished by a semicircular crest or hood over the head, the posterior half of which is white, with a dark edge. The general colour is dark brown above and white below. Length 19 in.; wing 7·75 in.
THE WOOD PIGEON
Columba palumbus, Linnæus
Whereas in the case of many species one has to record their increasing scarcity and approaching extermination as far as these islands are concerned, with the Wood Pigeon the case is very different. Nesting in the woods throughout the country, where, owing to strict preservation, trespassers are forbidden and raptorial birds shot, this species has of late years increased with amazing rapidity and may be found in winter in flocks of thousands, which often do considerable damage to the crops. Although as a rule very shy and wary, it becomes in towns, where it is unmolested, absurdly tame, and it may now be found in the London parks and squares disputing with the omnipresent Sparrow the crumbs of bread thrown out by passers-by. It is curious and interesting to note that it is very conservative in its habits, rarely settling on any of the buildings like the wild domestic Pigeons, which are descended from the Rock Dove, but always keeping to the trees and gardens, leaving its tame relative in undisputed possession of the streets and buildings. On one occasion at least it deigned to avail itself of civilisation, for a nest was recently found in one of the parks composed almost entirely of ladies’ hairpins.
The nest is usually placed on a tree, but sometimes in bushes or hedgerows. It is made of twigs laid loosely on each other, and is such a flimsy structure that one would never imagine it capable of forming an efficient nursery for so large a bird. Two eggs only are laid, which, as with all Pigeons, are pure white. Two or three broods are often reared in the season, both sexes taking their turn at incubation and rearing the young.
Pigeons when first hatched are covered with coarse yellowish down and are very helpless; they are fed for the first ten days on a sort of soft curd known as Pigeon’s milk, which is secreted in the crop, or is, as has been stated, the secretion of two glands placed on each side near the crop, but this latter point requires confirmation. They are fed by regurgitation, the young bird inserting its beak into that of the parent.
The note of the Wood Pigeon is a soft melodious “cooroo, coo, coo.” When courting he expands his tail, blows out his crop, and holding his head high in the air utters his coo; he then bows, and raises his expanded tail. His hen, who usually shows but little enthusiasm over the display, has probably moved a little farther off, and the display ends with an awkward hop towards her.