RINGDOVE OR WOOD PIGEON. 219 



the nest. Fair as such scenes outwardly appear, their character 

 changes as one wanders into their pathless recesses, imperfectly 

 lit as they are by the straggling gleams which here and there reach 

 half-way down the trees. Yet in the gloomiest woods I do not 

 know a more pleasing or less wearisome sound of long continu- 

 ance than that in which 



" Deep toned 



The cushat plains ; nor is her changeless plaint 

 Unmusical, when with the general quire 

 Of woodland harmony it softly blends." GRAHAME. 



Tannahill, in his fine song " Thou bonny wood o' Craigielea," 

 also associates the sound with the music of other bird voices : 



" Far ben thy dark green planting's shade, 

 The cushat croodles am'rously. 

 The mavis down thy bughted glade 

 Gars echo ring frae every tree." 



Throughout western Scotland the Ring Dove is best known by 

 the name of Cushat a name which appears to be used by 

 most poets and song writers, who introduce the bird into 

 many of their sketches of woodland scenery. In less poetical 

 districts, where perhaps fewer bird lines have been penned, its 

 presence is recognised by names unknown, at least to the bards 

 from whom I have quoted. Last summer, under the guidance of 

 a Wigtownshire farmer, I visited a vitrified fort in that county, 

 situated on an extensive moor about ten miles inland from the 

 village of Portwilliam; and while standing on this mound, over- 

 looking a large tract of country, I remarked several flights of 

 wood-pigeons, and drew the attention of my companion to the fact 

 of their ravages in other parts of Scotland having led to the 

 establishment of clubs for their extirpation. " Wood-pigeons," I 

 added, " should be kept down, they are so destructive." " Very 

 true," rejoined my friend, " but that's not the name we gi'e the 

 bird here." "And what name do you give it 1 ?" I inquired. 

 " Oh," said he, apparently unconscious of any parody, " we just 

 ca' them Timmer doos /" 



OBS. THE STOCK DOVE (Columba cenas) is catalogued by the 

 late Mr Sinclair, surgeon, Wick, as a very rare species in Caithness, 

 but no date or locality is given. I include it here, however, as the 

 list (already often referred to) has been reproduced in the proceed- 

 ings of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh, with remarks by 



