COLUMBM. ( 141 ) COLUMBID^. 



THE STOCK DOVE. 



WOOD DOVE, BLUE-BACKED DOVE. 



Columha osnas. 



The Stock Dove builds her nest 

 Where the wild flower odours float. 



MackAY, Angling. 



Immediately to the west of Paxton House, which stands on 

 elevated ground on the north bank of the Tweed, there is a 

 deep, rocky, wooded dean,^ through which a small stream 

 meanders ; and there may be seen the remains of the " Old 

 Heronry Wood," consisting of a few gigantic silver firs 

 towering to a height of upwards of a hundred feet. 



The opposing precipitous rocks almost meet at a narrow 

 part of the defile, and, with the umbrageous trees above, 

 form in summer a beautiful shady dell, whose sides are 

 clothed with various kinds of ferns and wild flowers. At 

 this season the little burn rippling over its stony bed is a 

 favourite haunt of the Water Ouzel and the Grey Wagtail, 

 whilst amongst the huge masses of fallen stone by its sides 

 the Otter and the Fox find a secure retreat. 



Here in the summer of 1877 the Stock Dove made its 

 appearance. It was very shy, and rushed from its retreat 

 with sounding wings in the greatest alarm whenever the 

 place which it frequented was approached. The bird was 

 again noticed in the spring and summer of the two following 



1 Here King Charles i, placed one of his outposts in May and June 1639, when 

 he lay with an army of 16,000 men at the "Byrke Houses," a hamlet on the 

 English side of the Tweed, opposite the village of Paxton, to overawe the Scottish 

 Covenanters, who, under General Leslie, occupied the top of Duns Law. 



