134 THE RING DOVE. 



nesting season the gambols of the male as he rises and 

 descends in his flight, or occasionally strikes the points of 

 his wings together, is a pleasing sight, which is frequently 

 witnessed on calm sunny evenings. 



About 1859-60 this bird had increased to such an 

 extent in the neighbouring county of East-Lothian ^ that 

 it had to be constantly herded off the ripening wheat 

 and barley fields by men or boys with guns. I have 

 seen great numbers rise off patches of " laid " wheat in 

 the vicinity of Salton, where the " Big Wood " ^ harboured 

 thousands in its dark and unfrequented recesses. When 

 feeding on growing grain the Pigeons usually come in 

 pairs or in small flocks, and alight, in the first place, on 

 some neighbouring hedgerow tree — such as an ash, willow, 

 or plane — whence, after resting for a short time, they fly 

 down to join any others which may be engaged in feeding 

 on the adjacent parts of the field where the wheat or barley 

 has been laid flat on the ground by heavy rain. A favourite 

 way of shooting them used to be by making a small hut 

 of green boughs underneath a tree frequented by the birds, 

 and waiting in it with the gun ready to bring down the 



1 Mr. Arcliftald Hepburn, Wliittingliam Mains, East-Lothian, writing in 1847, 

 draws attention to the fact that in the end of last century the Cushat was a com- 

 paratively rare bird in that county. He says : " I am acquainted with a man, 

 now sixty-five years of age, whose bird-nesting days were spent in the woods near 

 Gilford, and he states that Wood Pigeons were then so rare that the discovery of 

 a nest was looked upon as a great feat." — Hist. Ber. Nat. Club, vol. ii. p. 273. 



" Sir Walter Scott mentions this wood in his description of the meeting of Lord 

 Marmion and Sir David Lindesay of the Mount, Lord Lion King at Arms : — 



The green sward way was smooth and good, 

 Through Humbie's and through Saltoun's wood ; 

 A forest glade, which, varying still, 

 Here gave a view of dale and hill. 

 There narrower closed, till overhead 

 A vaulted screen the branches made. 



It appears from the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, 1473-98, 

 that the "Big Wood" supplied timber to make gun carriages in the time of King 

 James iv. of Scotland: "Item, that samyn day (xxij. February 1496), gevin to 

 Johne Mawar, zongare, to pas to Borthuik and Saltoun to vesy tymmyre for gun 

 paraling, . . . . ix. s." 



