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 with the useful art of creeping and skulking. In general, however, they are rather shy, and very seldom allow a person to advance openly within sixty or seventy yards. It is not uncommon to kill four or five at a shot; and on this subject I have heard many marvellous tales in the Hebrides; but as I intend to confine my relation to my own experience, I can only state that, during a snow-storm, when the pigeons had assembled in corn-yard remote from houses, I once killed twenty-three at three successive shots; that is, nine for the first, eight for the next, and six for the third. Two or three wounded made their escape to the racks in the immediate neighbourhood.

"The manners of the Rock Doves are similar to those of our domestic pigeons, which are evidently descended from individuals of this species. When searching for food, they walk about with great celerity, moving the head backwards and forwards at each step, the tail sloping towards the ground, and the tips of the wings tucked up over it. In windy weather they usually move in a direction more or less opposite to the blast, and keep their body nearer to the ground than when it is calm, the whole flock going together. When startled, they rise suddenly, and by striking the ground with their wings, produce a crackling noise. When at full speed they fly with great celerity, the air whistling against their pinions. Their flight is very similar to that of the Ringed and Golden Plovers, birds which in form approach very nearly to the pigeons, as may be seen more especially on comparing their skeletons. They usually alight abruptly when the place is open and clear, and, if very hungry, immediately commence their search; although on alighting they frequently stand and look around them for a few moments. On other occasions, however, they fly over the field in circles, descending gradually. When flying from the rocks to the places where they procure their food, and when returning in the evening, they do not mount high in the air; and when passing over an eminence they fly so low as almost to touch it. When the wind is very high, and their course is against it, they fly in the same manner, taking advantage of the shelter. It used to afford me much pleasure, and probably would be interesting to most people, to observe, from one of the wild headlands of Harris, the pigeons flying swiftly and silently towards their homes, along the cliffs, while every now and then a string of cormorants, gannets, or guillemots would come up, and a straggling flock of gulls pursue their route in a desultory manner,

"The notes of the Rock Dove resemble the syllables coo-roo-coo quickly repeated, the last prolonged. Its nuptials are celebrated with much cooing and circumambulation on the part of the male. A love-scene among the rocks is really an interesting sight. Concealed in a crevice or behind a projecting cliff, you see a pigeon alight beside you, and stand quietly for some time, when the whistling of pinions is heard, and the male bird shoots past like an arrow, and is already beside his mate. Scarcely has he made rapid survey of the place, when, directing his attention to the only beautiful object which he sees, he approaches her, erecting his head, swelling out his breast by inflating his crop, and spreading