CHAP. v.J MAKITIME HAUNTS. 157 



general tillage of the land, and the increase of popu- 

 lation in many parts of the kingdom, had driven the 

 birds away to take refuge in a quieter home, find wilder 

 districts to traverse in their foraging excursions, and 

 leave the old nesting-places to be occupied by a more 

 tame-spirited race. So that an ancient Dovecote, well 

 filled with a thriving colony of Blue Rock Pigeons, is 

 really an aristocratical affair ; and it ought to be valued 

 and maintained in the same manner as the old oaks 

 and elms, or the rookeries and heronries belonging to 

 an estate. An inspection of the provincial game and 

 poultry -shops will show that a large proportion of the 

 young Pigeons now brought to table are not Blue Rocks, 

 but Dovehouse Pigeons ; besides Powters, and Tum- 

 blers, and perhaps foul-feathered or cross-bred birds of 

 other tame kinds : many of the Tumblers are sold dead 

 for sixpence or ninepence each, which, when adult, 

 would fetch in London very fair prices from amateurs. 

 And Tumblers of the ordinary kind not the much- 

 valued specimens of hereditary deformity, with spheri- 

 cal heads and no beak are now found more profitable 

 in many situations to breed young birds for the market 

 than the capricious unmanageable Blue Rock Dove. 



Maritime localities seem to be the favourite haunts 

 of this bird, whether wild or tame ; and as Venus is 

 fabled to have arisen from the sea, so her emblematic 

 and attendant Doves are delighted to frequent its vi- 

 cinity. I have seen them at Great Yarmouth fly down 

 to the beach, to drink of the small pools of salt water 

 left there by the tide, though plenty of fresh water was 

 to be had within, for them, an easy distance. Rocky 

 islets, and caverns in sea-washed cliffs, are known to be 

 of all habitations the most attractive to them. The 



