66 
ROCK DOVE. 
White-Rumped Pigeon or Rock Dove, Co- 
lumba livia, Linn. — Columbe biset, Temm. — White- 
rumped Pigeon, Rock Dove of British authors 
It is to this species that all our most accurate 
ornithologists refer the domestic races of pigeons. 
Those of the dove-cots of Britain are undoubtedly 
referable to it; but it may be, that the more mark- 
ed varieties have some additional cross. It is this 
bird also which has furnished those so celebrated 
in story as the messengers of politics, commerce, 
or of love ; and it is the “ blue rock ” which sup- 
plies the traps for the modem pigeon-shooter. 
In habits, the Rock Pigeon is very similar to 
those we have already described, only that rocks 
and gloomy caves on the sea coast, supply the 
place of hollow trees and the umbrageous forest. 
In winter they assemble in flocks, and feed on 
the various grains or seeds which their vicinity 
may supply, but they rarely venture to any dis- 
tance from the shore; in addition, the animals of 
our land molusca, particularly Helices, seem to be 
frequently devoured. In a wild state, and when 
in health, we believe they never perch on trees, 
which are indeed very seldom present near their 
haunts ; but we can corroborate the facts stated 
by Mr. Eyton, of the inmates of our pigeon houses 
frequently perching, when the cot happens to be 
built near or amidst old trees, particularly such 
as have bare branches ; and, in one instance, we 
have seen a tree nearly dead and leafless, always 
