AROUND EDINBURGH 



and upon the sloping walls that form the sides; 

 the two compartments hold, together, some two 

 thousand nests. The party-wall appears above 

 the roof. 



This dovecote, probably but little short of 

 some four centuries in age, belongs to The Inch, 

 a neighbouring mansion saidtocontainthe old- 

 est inhabited room in Scotland — an ancient 

 dining-room with bare stone walls. 



Here perhaps may be discussed a question 

 which has not improbably arisen in the reader's 

 mind. What is the object of dividing the dove- 

 cote of this form into two compartments, an 

 arrangement as common in Scotland as it is 

 rare in England? 



The solution is probably that given by the 

 present holder of a dovecote of this type. He 

 points out that, as may be easily imagined, the 

 taking of a large number of squabs from the 

 nests causes a certain discontent and restless- 

 ness among the parent birds; so much so that 

 they will sometimesdesertthe house forashort 

 time. If the dovecote be in two compartments, 

 having no internal communication, they can be 

 ''raided" alternately, one thus being always un- 



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