THE EOCK DOVE. 147 



Sometimes sportsmen go round the coast in a boat to shoot 

 the Pigeons as they fly out of the caves, frightening the 

 birds off the rocky ledges inside by shouting, clapping the 

 hands, or firing a shot at the entrance, 1 whereupon they 

 rush over the heads of the intruders, and are then very 

 difficult to bring down. When thus disturbed they gener- 

 ally pass close round the face of the precipitous rocks and 

 make for some other neighbouring retreat. Their flight is 

 strong and very rapid. 2 



This species commences to breed early in spring, and 

 continues to do so at intervals until autumn. It makes a 

 slight nest on the rocky ledges of the caves, and lays two 

 white eggs. It often assembles in large flocks, which may 

 be seen feeding in the fields near the sea ; and in snowy 

 weather in winter it visits stackyards in the neighbourhood 

 of the coast to pick up grain. In July it feeds on the lea 

 fields in great numbers, and also on the ground from which 

 hay has been cut. The food consists chiefly of grain and 

 the seeds of various weeds. 



There can be little doubt that this bird formed the 

 principal stock from which the common Pigeon of our dove- 

 cots was originally derived, although the latter is modified 

 in its habits and varies much in colour. Even yet the 

 domestic bird sometimes reverts to the wild life of its 

 original ancestors, and forsakes its home for a cavern on 



1 When a gun is fired inside a Pigeon cave the reverberation is deafening. 



2 Mr. Tegetraeier states that the average rate at which the fastest Homing 

 Pigeons flew in eighteen races, which took place in 1883, and which extended to 

 the aggregate distance of 3189 miles, was 17 '65 yards per second, 1059 yards per 

 minute, or about 36 miles an hour. The greatest speed attained was 27 yards per 

 second, 1620 yards per minute, or about 55 miles an hour for four hours in succes- 

 sion. See The Field of 22nd January 1887. Mr. Griffith found by experiments 

 with the chronograph that the very best " Blue Kocks " supplied by Mr. Hammond 

 of the Hurlingham Club flew through a forty-yard covered range at the average rate 

 of 14 '3 yards per second, 858 yards per minute, or about 29 J miles per hour. In 

 the open they flew at the rate of 13'15 yards per second, 789 yards per minute or 

 about 27 miles an hour. See The Field of 19th February 1887, 



