The little blue pigeons, the stock-doves, call "Coo-oop, coo-oop,
coo-oop," all day, in the old elms in the meadow, or high among the
massed twigs of the lime. Pigeons and doves are fantastical love-makers
like several other birds--the blackcock and cock grouse hold regular
love-levees, going through ridiculous antics and gestures; ducks
skim absurdly about the water, bobbing their heads up and down as if
bowing compliments to each other; and even the sober rook will perform
a kind of love-dance. At courting times, the wood-pigeons assume a
wonderful lustre of plumage, and the white of the neck-ring is very
striking, like the edging of a woodcock's tail. The cock wood-pigeon
is a laughable sight as he goes sidling down some bare branch to greet
his prospective bride; nearer and nearer he works his way, bowing
incessantly with a sideways motion of the body, until at last, with
neck bent low, bill meets bill in some kind of bird-kiss.
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