BIRDS. 



263 



about ten days or a fortnight the old birds return inland to the same 

 nesting haunts, and repair or clean out the old holes or boxes (such as 

 I have set up for their accommodation, in old lime or other thick, 

 bushy trees, or in steep sloping banks). Then these old birds prepare 

 to rear another brood. 



At the present time the Stock-Dove is a more abundant species 

 than the former-time Wood-Pigeon — at least so it is often reported to 

 me by observant gamekeepers in my own district of central Scotland, 

 and by others who have frequent opportunities of making obser- 

 vations. This change has taken place between about 1890 and the 

 time of writing (1905), and I think is even more pronounced by 1906. 



There is a possibility that the Stock-Dove bred as far west as 

 Eannoch at the date of 1901, but I have not satisfied myself of the fact. 



Even in the districts around Callander they were not considered 

 common by 1885, nor lower down on the fringes of the Vale of 

 Menteith. A pair were shot on 12th November of that year by Mr. 

 O. A. J. Lee, and presented to the Perth Museum, quite as rarities. 

 (See above, p. 262.) 



By 1891 they had penetrated, however, to the lower end of Loch 

 Tay, by evidence afforded by Mr. W. Evans, who saw the birds on 

 the north side of Drummond Hill in summer, and was assured that 

 they bred there that season. 



In 1896 Stock-Doves do not seem to have put in much appear- 

 ance in the north-east of our area, as Mr. Milne had not been able to 

 identify one around Auchenblae, where, it is almost needless to say, 

 there are abundant sites in every way suitable to their requirements. 

 This forms a curious blank in their progress towards the north, of 

 which I have already spoken. 



The Stock-Dove is omitted from the Eev. Mr. M'Connochie's list 

 from Guthrie. 



The Rev. H. A. Macpherson notes that " Col. Colquhoun told him 

 that a few Pigeons, which he called 'Rock-Doves,' are to be found in 

 Glen Garry " (H. A. Macpherson's MS., but no precise date is appended). 



Returning to the north-east, none had apparently reached the 

 county of Kincardine to date of 1893, and the first absolute record 

 from the east of Forfarshire is by Dr. Dewar, where two were got 

 west of Arbroath (Annah Scot. Nat. Hist., 1894, p. 115). 



By 1894 Col. Drummond Hay had no reliable evidence of their 

 occurrence, even at this late date, in the Carse of Gowrie (except the 

 one previously noted above), but there was evidence of their appear- 

 ance on the Almond — inland — and at Blairgowrie {auct. AY. Berry). 



