494 

 ROCK DOVE. 



Columba livia (Bonnat.). 

 Resident, local ; breeds on the sea-cliffs. 



The first allusion to this bird is, probably, that contained 

 in Willughby's " Ornithology/' where it is stated that it was 

 described to that famous naturalist by Ralph Johnson 

 [of Brignall, near Greta Bridge]. (Will. " Orn." 1678, pp. 

 23, 186.) 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote : 



Columba livia. Rock Dove Breeds abundantly on the rocks 

 about Flamborough. 



This bird is a very local resident, breeding in the caves 

 of the Flamborough and Bempton range, and thence north- 

 ward to the Cleveland coast, but in less numbers than the 

 preceding species, though still in considerable quantities. 

 Old George Londesborough, or Lowney, and Henry Marr, the 

 cliff-climbers, once tried an experiment by which they hoped 

 to make a good haul of these birds to supply a pigeon-shooting 

 match. Selecting a suitable night for the occasion, as Marr 

 has informed me, they let down a net over Bempton " Pigeon- 

 Cote," one of the large caverns where these birds breed 

 abundantly ; it was soon full of Pigeons, and they made 

 sure of getting a good quantity ; they found, however, it was 

 not possible to catch them alive, but they killed fifteen with 

 a stick. 



The Rock-Dove is also reported as nesting in some of the 

 dales of the West and North Ridings ; there can be no question, 

 however, that this bird is confused with the Stock-Dove, 

 and my requests for proof of identity have failed to produce 

 satisfactory replies. 



The Flamborough Rock-Doves resort to the " Carrs " 

 and Wold farms in winter to feed, when they associate with 

 domestic pigeons, sometimes being trapped in the cotes 

 with them, and, as the latter frequently escape to the cliffs, 

 and interbreed with the birds established there, the task of 



