124 THE BIRDS OF OXFOEDSHIEE. 



been found/ Mr. T. Goatley informed them that it bred at that 

 time in holes of trees in Heythrop Park, and was resident. 

 [Zoologist, p. 3432.) 



On a cold frosty day in October, 1887, when fishing* in the 

 Swere at Barford just before sundo^vTi, a Stock Dove flew 

 close past me and alighted on the water, which was about two 

 feet deep at that spot, the banks being quite steep. It settled 

 with outspread wings, drank, and then, rising without difficulty, 

 flew off. It would have been easy for the bird to have gone 

 to one of the several shallow cattle waterings in the meadow. 



Early in September, 1886, two varieties of the Stock Dove 

 were procured on Shotover Hill. One, a very pretty bird, 

 mottled with cream-colour, is now in Mr. J. Whitaker's 

 noted collection, a coloured plate of it being given in Mr. S. 

 L. Mosley^s work on British Birds ; the other had nothing 

 abnormal about it except the primaries and rectrices, which 

 were of a rusty brown. It is probable that these two birds 

 were hatched together. 



THE HOCK DOVE. 



Columba liria. 

 The Rock Dove has been included in the list of Oxfordshire 

 birds as an occasional visitor. The Messrs. Matthews wrote — 

 ' Sometimes seen in this neighbourhood during the autumn, 

 but it is a very uncertain visitor^ {Zoologist, p. 2598). 

 Concerning this note the Rev. A. Matthews informs me that 

 although he never shot one, he had seen specimens in the 

 late Mr. Forrest's shop {in lit.). The Rock Dove has been 

 recorded as breeding in inland situations in several instances ; 

 but a suspicion that they are merely dovecot pigeons which have 

 reverted to a feral state always attaches to these individuals, 

 and to such those that have occurred in Oxon may possibly 

 be referred. The Rock Dove is included in the History of 

 Banhiiry list, as an ^ occasional visitor,^ on the authority of 

 Busby, a former keeper at Broughton, but as keepers often 



