PIGEONS 139 



of the young birds in it, never carries them off till they have 

 attained to a good size, watching their daily growth till he thinks 

 them fit to be killed. 



In game-preserves wood-pigeons are certainly of some use, 

 both in affording to vermin a more conspicuous and more 

 favourite food than even partridge or pheasant, and in taking 

 the attention of the larger hawks from the game. But he also 

 does good service in giving notice of the approach of any 

 danger, loudly flapping his wings as he flies off the trees on the 

 first alarm. And at night no bird is so watchful. I have 

 frequently attempted to approach the trees where the wood- 

 pigeons were roosting ; but even in the darkest nights these 

 birds would take the alarm, affording in this respect a great 

 contrast to the pheasant. The poor wood-pigeon has no defence 

 against its enemies excepting its watchful and never-sleeping 

 timidity, not being able to do battle against even the smallest 

 of its numerous persecutors. 



Though the turtle-dove never breeds here, and is supposed 

 Tiever to visit this part of the country, I have twice seen a pair 

 about my house, both times towards the end of autumn. Last 

 year a pair remained for about three weeks here, from the 

 middle of October to the beginning of November, when they 

 disappeared ; probably returning southwards, not being nearly 

 so hardy a bird as the woodrpigeon. Besides the wood-pigeon, 

 we have considerable numbers of the little blue rock-pigeon, 

 breeding along the caves and rocks of the coast, and feeding 

 inland in large flocks. On the opposite coast of Ross-shire and 

 Cromarty, very great numbers are found during the whole year. 

 The caves there are much more extensive, and the rocks less 

 easy of access, than they are along our coast by Burghead, 

 Gordonston, etc. ; the rock-pigeons therefore make those rocks 

 their headquarters. 



Being at Croinarty early in last June, I made an excursion 

 along the rocks, for the double purpose of seeing the coast, 

 which is peculiarly bold and magnificent on the Ross-shire side 

 of the Cromarty Ferry, and also of shooting some pigeons ^ and 

 other birds which bred in the caves and cliffs. 



' The rock-pigeon (C. livid) is very abundant over the coast-line of the west of 

 Scotland, especially in the numerous caverns, such as those at the Haskan Rocks, Mull, 

 Siaffa, etc. They lay two eggs, and have several broods in the year (Grey, p. 22Q), 



