36 Notes on the Stockdove. [Sess. 



from a friend of my own, a professional gentleman in Eutland 

 Square, whose veracity I regard as unimpeachable, saying 

 that he and his assistant both saw the birds on the chimney 

 opposite their window. Calling for him, I first saw the 

 assistant, a young lady typist. Knowing that young gannets 

 are nearly black and adult birds nearly white, I asked her if 

 the birds she saw were old ones or young ones. She replied 

 she didn't know, they were just grey birds. I then had a 

 conversation with my friend, and putting the same question 

 to him, he said, " They were back again, and I learned they 

 were lesser black-backed gulls." When anyone writes he saw 

 such a thing, however wonderful it may be, no one can reply 

 that it is a falsehood, but many statements are asserted that 

 will not stand the light of searching investigation. The 

 assertion, therefore, that gannets sit on chimney-pots may be 

 included in the same category as the observation of fieldfares 

 nesting in this country or nightingales singing in Scotland. 



That these birds, which are seldom seen overland, should 

 be found on chimneys in the midst of a large centre of popu- 

 lation is certainly very remarkable, but there are many 

 wonderful things in nature. There is a very remarkable 

 peculiarity pertaining to the gannet, namely, that it has no 

 apparent nostrils. The reason of this is obvious, as with 

 the terrific dash into the sea, water would be forced up the 

 nostrils, to the injury of the bird ; and here we discover " the 

 magic of an unseen hand, the design of a great designer, 

 the wonderful creation of a wonderful Creator." 



The Stockdove. 



The stockdove is found in most of the countries of Europe. 

 It used to be a rare bird in this country, and in my young 

 days on the Borders I do not remember ever seeing one. 

 Nowadays, however, they are common everywhere, breeding 

 in rabbit-burrows, suitable holes in old trees, and also among 

 thick foliage. An amusing incident came under my notice 

 one day when ferreting rabbits. A ferret was put into a 

 burrow, and in a short time a stockdove bolted and flew off, 

 when it was stopped by a shot. Immediately afterwards the 

 ferret came out, and in its mouth was a quantity of blue 



