BOOK OF DOVECOTES 



lower buildings. Unfortunately these have 

 been converted into cottages, and a chimney 

 now defaces either corner of the dovecote's 

 higher side. But, even with this unwelcome 

 addition, the building is imposing. The slope 

 of the tiled roof is on two levels, with the en- 

 trance-holes, as usual in such cases, at the 

 "break." 



Resuming the main road we cross the river 

 and reach Phantassie, a largefarmupon theleft, 

 a short half mile beyond the bridge. At the 

 bottom of a lane leading to fields lying north- 

 east of the steading is a very curious dovecote. 



The background is well worth a glance before 

 we give attention to the pigeon-house itself. 

 Beyond the fields that lie before us is thewind- 

 ing river, and upon its farther bank is Preston- 

 kirk, snugly ensconced below a ridge of hill. 

 That hill-slope is a curious sight to eyes accus- 

 tomed rather to the verdant pastures of the 

 English Midlands or Welsh Borders than to 

 Lothian lands. Field after field, without abreak 

 of intervening green, is red in spring with the 

 bare soilof Britain's finest land; golden in early 

 autumn with the ripening grain. The eye may 

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