BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
that such individuals may have escaped from domestication ; 
and it is well to remember that the Stock-Dove is often 
called the Rock-Dove locally. Dumfriesshire havmg no 
maritime chffs, it is unhkely that this species was ever^ a 
resident in a wild state. There is no modern record of its 
occurrence, and its present claims to inclusion in our hst only 
entitle it to be regarded as a domesticated or semi-domesti- 
cated species ; consequently it is placed in square brackets. 
The pigeons of the old Baronial dovecotes were, I beheve 
it is always admitted, Blue Rocks." Dr. Singer, in his 
agricultural survey of Dumfriesshire in 1812, says : " Most 
of the gentlemen of landed property were at one period 
in the practice of erecting dovecotes and of keeping large 
flocks of Pigeons ; but at present there are very few of them 
to be seen. By the Scottish Act, 1503, ch. 74, landholders 
were enjoined to make parks for deer, and to have rabbit 
warrens and dovecotes. But it was found that pigeons were 
so destructive to corn, that by a posterior Act, 1617, ch. 19, 
landholders were not allowed to build houses for them, 
unless they were each in possession of ten chalders (160 bolls, 
or near to 360 Winchester bushels) of annual victual rents, 
from lands within two miles of the pigeon house. At present 
there is Httle value put on pigeons, and not many proprietors 
of land having legal rights are disposed to keep them, a few 
persons, however, pretend to keep them who have no right."* 
From Moffat it was reported in 1834 : " There are common 
pigeons which have bred in remote parts or old towers, and 
have become wild."!] 
THE TURTLE-DOVE. Turtur communis, Selby. 
A rare and irregular summer-visitor, but is not known to nest. 
Sir WiUiam Jardine in 1842 writes thus: "The Turtle 
Dove may be considered as a species entirely southern; 
* Gen. View of Agriculture in Dumfries, p. 386. 
t New Stat. Acct. Scot., Vol. IV., p. 108. 
