COLUMBID. 301 
made to answer the purpose, or even the bare 
ground, under a furze or other bush; and one 
instance is recorded of the Stock Dove breeding in 
a church-tower.* 
Bewick has made a slight mistake about this 
species, having confused it with the Rock Dove, or 
Blue Rock Dove, the picture being undoubtedly that 
of the Rock Dove, and the name that of the Wild 
Pigeon or Stock Dove: the two species are, however, 
perfectly distinct both in plumage and habits, the 
present species more resembling the Wood Pigeon 
in habits, roosting and perching in trees, which the 
Rock Dove scarcely ever does.t In appearance it is 
easily distinguished from either of the others: from 
the Wood Pigeon it differs in having no white on 
the neck or the wing; it is also considerably 
smaller: from the Rock Dove, or real Blue Rock— 
for the name “ Blue Rock”’ is in some places applied 
to this bird—it differs in wanting the two con- 
spicuous black bands across the wing and the white 
on the lower part of the back. 
The beak of the Stock Dove is reddish orange ; 
the irides scarlet; the head, neck, back, scapulars, 
wing-coverts and tertials are bluish grey; on some 
of the greater wing-coverts, and on some of the 
* * Zoologist’ for 1867 (Second Series, p. 758). 
+ For one doubtful instance see ‘ Zoologist’ for 1863, 
pp. 8825-6. 
aD 
