152 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE. 



ROCK DOVE B. This bird is the ancestor of our 

 C. livia. domestic races of pigeon, and is often 



called the Blue Rock Pigeon, from its 

 colour, and from the habit of nesting in crevices of 

 rocks. It resembles the Stock Dove in most particulars, 

 but in flight is easily distinguished by the white axillaries 

 and under wing-coverts. (In the Stock Dove these are 

 grey). The rump also is white instead of grey. Mr. 

 R. B. Benson found a colony of these birds, about 

 1884, nesting in some deep narrow caves, in " Ipikin's 

 Rock," a detached portion of Wenlock Edge. He took 

 two of the eggs; hatched them and reared the young 

 under tame pigeons to be sure of the species. Sub- 

 sequently some Jackdaws took possession of the caves 

 and ejected the pigeons, though specimens have been 

 shot in the neighbourhood since 1886. Mr. Dumville 

 Lees reports that a Rock Dove was shot near 

 Oswestry, early in 1898 ; and that it used to breed 

 in some rocks at Treflach. Major A. Heber-Percy 

 has a large number of the true breed in a domestic 

 state, at Hodnet. It is difficult to say with certainty 

 whether or not those found in the open are escaped 

 tame birds reverting to the wild state. (Illustration page 

 1 60, figs. 5 & 6). 



Turtle Dove B. Provincial name, Wrekin Dove. The 



Turtur communis. smallest of our pigeons, and, unlike 



Apl. iv. Sept. iv. the other two, only with us in Summer. 



It is fairly common in the County, 



especially round the Wrekin, and increasing annually. 



In habits and nesting it resembles the Quice, but in 



flight is easily distinguished by its brown colour and 



small size. (Illustration page 160, fig. i & 2). 



