OF S EL BORNE. 
Ill 
Unlefs the ftock-dove in the winter varies greatly in manners 
from itfelf in fummer, no fpecies feems more unhkely to be 
domeflicated, and to make an houfe-dove. We very rarely fee the 
latter fettle on trees at all, nor does it ever haunt the woods ; but 
the former, as long as it ftays with us, from November perhaps to 
February, lives the fame wild life with the ring-dove, palimbus 
torquatus ; frequents coppices and groves, fupports itfelf chiefly by 
maft, and delights to roofh in the tailed beeches. Could it be 
known in what manner ftock-doves build, the doubt would be 
fettled with me at once, provided they conftrud their nefts on 
trees, like the ring-dove, as I much fufpe6t they do. 
You received, you fay, laft fpring a Jlock-dove from Sii[fex ; and 
are informed that they fometimes breed in that country. But why 
did not your correfpondent determine the place of it's nidification, 
whether on rocks, cliffs, or trees? If he was not an adroit orni- 
thologifl: I ihould doubt the faft, becaufe people with us perpetually 
confound the ^/lock-dove with the ring-dove. 
For my own part, I readily concur with you in fuppofing that 
houfe-doves are derived from the f^nall blue rock-pigeon, for many 
reafons. In the firft place the wild ftock-dove is manifeftly larger 
than the common houfe-dove, againft the ufual rule of domeftica- 
tion, which generally enlarges the breed. Again, thofe two 
remarkable black fpots on the remiges of each wing of the ftock^ 
dove, which are fo charad:eriftic of the fpecies, would not, one 
fhould think, be totally loft by it's being reclaimed ; but would 
often break out among its defccndants. But what is worth 
an hundred arguments is, the inftance you give in Sir Roger 
Mcjlyns houfe-doves in Caernarvonjhire ; which, though tempted by 
plenty of food and gentle treatment, can never be prevailed on to 
inhabit 
