io6 Old Dovecots {Scotland). [Sess. 



their ' doocots/ as the dovecots are termed in Scotland. . . . 

 The dovecots are in some districts quite a feature of the 

 landscape, although no new ones are allowed to be built." 



'General View of the Agriculture of the County of Mid- 

 Lothian/ by George Kobertson, Farmer, Granton (1795). — 

 " Pigeons. Pigeons have long been a grievance, on account 

 of the vast destruction they make among the wheat in the 

 filling season. On the other hand, it is alleged, and I believe 

 with reason, that they are very beneficial to the farmers in 

 the winter, by picking up the seeds of weeds from off the 

 lands. This matter might be compromised between the 

 parties by allowing the pigeons the free use of the fields, 

 except at the time the wheat is ripening, or still remaining 

 in the field. I am fully convinced that in this county there 

 are annually 3000 bolls of wheat destroyed by pigeons, in 

 the filling season alone, including what they cause to perish 

 by treading down ; while all the profit arising from them 

 to their owners does not amount to half that value the whole 

 year round. 



" It is supposed there may be about 300 pigeon-houses 

 in the county, who \si6\ thus consume, or destroy, as much 

 wheat as would, at an average, serve as bread to 3000 

 souls." 



'Statistical Account of Scotland' (1791). "Parish of 

 Auchterderran (Pife), by the Eev. Andrew Murray. — The 

 neighbourhood and county were long distinguished for ex- 

 cellent pigeons and well-stocked pigeon-houses, but which of 

 late have been falling off. It has been doubted whether our 

 law authorising pigeon-houses is not in some degree contrary 

 to natural equity — as it does not seem reasonable that any one 

 should keep a house furnished with a multitude of animals, 

 over which he has no government, and which prey on his 

 neighbour's corn as freely as on his own, while he alone has 

 the profit. It has also been doubted whether, on the whole, 

 pigeons are not detrimental to the public, by devouring more 

 corn than the profit of them is worth — it having been stated 

 as a fact that a pigeon -house of an oixiinary size, mod- 

 erately stocked, will consume 200 quarters of feed in a 

 year." 



That the dovecot was of some importance may be gathered 



