STOCK DOVE. 179 
STOCK DOVE. 
CoLUMBA NAS, Linnzeus. 
Blue-rock, Sand Pigeon, Hill Pigeon. 
The growing popularity of such places as West Kirby 
and Hoylake, and the conversion of sand-dunes into 
golf-links, have destroyed many of the stations on 
the Wirral coast where the Stock Dove was at one 
time a common resident. It still, however, nests in 
rabbit-burrows and holes in the marl-cliffs in several 
localities. There can be little doubt that the bird was 
formerly well known as a breeding species on the New 
Brighton and Wallasey sandhills, as it certainly was in 
the neighbourhood of Hoylake and Meols and along 
the Dee shore from Hilbre Point to Neston Brock- 
holes, quoting Mr. R. Barton, says that on Caldy Hill 
the Stock Dove sometimes nests on the ground be- 
neath gorse-bushes as well as in rabbit-holes.? In this 
locality it was known as the ‘Hill Pigeon, whereas at 
Meols it was always called the ‘Sand Pigeon.’! Else- 
where in Wirral it is reported from Burton—where 
it is fairly common, breeding in trees—and from the 
neighbourhood of Backford and Moston.? 
We have no record of the Stock Dove from the Hills 
in the east and north-east, and even throughout the 
Plain it is local, being decidedly scarce except in a few 
districts. It occurs at Eaton, and the Rev. C. Wolley- 
Dod says it is very common at Edge, where it breeds 
in old timber2 In those parks where the bird is 
found, the nest is usually built in a hollow tree 
1H. E. Smith, op. cit. p. 248. 
? Brockholes, op. cit. p. 10. 3 Dobie, op. cit. p. 328. 
