94 NovrES ON THE BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
feeding beneath the oak trees, and on 31st October I shot 
forty-four under the same trees with the aid of decoys. In 
the winter of 1911-12 Woodpigeons were even more 
abundant and many died from ‘“‘ pigeon-diphtheria ”’ in 
Glencairn, Closeburn and Langholm parishes. On 25th 
January, 1912, I shot 106 and 1 Stock Dove, all of which 
were perfectly healthy, at Tibbers (Penpont). [na August, 
1918, two guns shot 125 at Floors (Penpont). I have never 
known Woodpigeons as scarce at Capenoch as they were in 
1920-21, when only six were shot: the average number killed 
yearly in the preceding eighteen vears was 114: with a 
minimum of 39 in 1916-17 and a maximum of 209 in 1911-12. 
The scarcity of Woodpigeons is not, however, a matter of 
general complaint; indeed from Annandaie, and elsewhere 
in the county, I am assured that the species of late years has 
largely increased. It might have been expected that the 
extraordinary quantity of timber felled during the war would 
have deprived these birds not only of roosting places but also 
of nesting sites. 
A very pretty pied, almost white, specimen, was shot at 
Closeburn on 23rd April, 1915, and is now in my collection; 
it had been seen for about three years.!! 
A nest containing young birds was found at Capenoch 
stables in the second week of October, 1920, and I have 
heard Woodpigeons “* 
a? 
cooing ’’ in every month of the year. 
The STOCK DOVE (p. 305). Is becoming more and 
more widely dispersed throughout the county.  Lieut.- 
Colonel A. E. Lascelles, in 1920, found four nests at Black- 
wood (Keir), two of which were in pollared elms, one in a 
hollow tree and the fourth in an old squirrel’s drey. 
A correspondent, writing to me from Kirkconnel, refers 
to this species as the ‘‘ Blue-Pigeon,’’ a local name which 
it may be advisable to record here since the Rock Dove is often 
termed ** Blue-Rock.’’ 
(Recovery of ringed bird, see p. 24 antea.) 
The TURTLE DOVE (p. 310). One of a pair was shot 
by J. Anderson at Horseclose Wood (Ruthwell) on 24th 
157 See illustration facing p. 88. 
