472 ROCK-DOVK. 



except in mountainous regions, such as the Pyrenees and the various 

 ranges of Spain and Italy ; while even there a considerable admix- 

 ture of semi-domesticated birds is apparent. Individuals from the 

 Canaries and the coasts and rocky islands in the west of the 

 Mediterranean have generally a distinct band of white on the croup, 

 but as we proceed eastward this has a tendency to become less pure 

 and narrower than in northern examples, until in specimens from 

 the Jordan valley that part is grey. Birds identical with our own 

 have, however, been obtained as far east as Cashmere, while in 

 Gilgit both white- and grey-rum ped forms are found ; the distri- 

 bution of these and allied species or races in Asia is, however, too 

 complicated for notice within the space at my disposal. " There 

 seems," says. Darwin, " to be some relation between the croup being 

 blue or white, and the temperature of the country inhabited by both 

 wild and dovecot pigeons ; for nearly all the dovecot pigeons in the 

 northern parts of Europe have a white croup like that of the wild 

 European rock pigeon ; and nearly all the dovecot pigeons of India 

 have a blue croup like that of the wild C. intennedia of India." 



In the British Islands the favourite resorts of the Rock-Dove are 

 deep caverns, on the ledges of which a slight nest is constructed, 

 sometimes as early as March ; while young and even unhatched 

 eggs have been found in September, so that two broods must be 

 reared in the year. The 2 white eggs measure about i"5 by i'i5 

 in. Like other members of the family, this species is partial to 

 grain, but it makes amends by eating the roots of the couch-grass 

 {Triticum repens\ and the seeds of various troublesome weeds, as 

 well as considerable quantities of snails. It drinks frequently, and 

 both wild and tame Pigeons have been seen to settle on the water 

 like Gulls and drink whilst floating down stream. It has a marked 

 objection to settling on trees — a peculiarity which is still shared by 

 its domesticated relatives. 



In size and general hue the Rock-Dove much resembles the 

 Stock-Dove, but the green on the neck is prolonged to the throat ; 

 the mantle is of a paler grey ; two very distinct black bars cross 

 the wing-coverts and the secondaries ; the rump is white and the 

 black bar near the tip of the tail-feathers is much narrower ; the 

 upper breast is dark grey with hardly any tinge of vinous ; and the 

 axillaries and under wing-covei'ts are luhite — a very conspicuous 

 distinction in flight. As usual, females are slightly smaller and 

 duller than males ; while in the young the metallic tints are 

 wanting. 



