2C2 BRITISH BIRDS 



outer tail-feathers white on the outer web ; iris pale orange ; biU 

 black ; feet red. Length, twelve and a half inches. 



The rock-dove, or blue rock, the wild form of the domestic 

 pigeon, is very rarely found breeding in any inland locality in the 



Fia. 88. — KocK-DovE. \ natural size. 



British Islands ; in Spain and Italy, and other parts of continental 

 Europe, it is an inhabitant of the mountainous districts. With us it 

 inhabits the rock-bound coasts of Scotland and its islands, and 

 of Ireland, and, very sparsely, the south and east coasts of England, 

 and breeds in caverns, making its nests on the ledges of the rock. 

 In its language, flight, and habits it is indistinguishable from the 

 bird familiar to everyone in a domestic state. 



Turtle-Dove. 



Turtur communis. 



Head and nape ash tinged with wine-red ; a space on the sides 

 of the neck composed of black feathers tipped with white; neck 

 and breast pale wine-red ; back ash-brown ; primaries dusky ; 

 secondaries bluish ash ; scapulars and wing-coverts rust-red, with 

 ft black spot in the centre of each feather ; beUy and under tail- 



