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ROCK DOVE.—I have from time to time received so many kindness.. at the hands of the readers of THE FIELD that I am emboldened to ask for their assistance in another matter, more especially as it is one that is of some scientific importance, and not a mere personal favour. The point is as follows: Mr Charles Darwin has paid me the high compliment of requesting my assistance in procuring and supervising the drawing of typical specimens wherewith to illustrate his forthcoming work on the variation of animals. To complete my series I wish to place in the hands of the artist a genuine specimen of a wild rock dove. Can any of the readers of THE FIELD who live in remote districts near the coast, where these birds breed naturally, and where there is no probability of their being crossed with wandering dovecot pigeons, aid me with a specimen? Macgillivray, in his most delightful book on British birds says the best places for studying the habits of the species, or of procuring specimens, are the Islands of Lewis, Harris. Uist, Barray, Skye, the northern coasts of Scotland, the Shetland and Orkney Islands. A living specimen, male or female, would be by far the most desirable, or, failing that, a fresh killed specimen. If any of the readers of THE FIELD oblige me, perhaps they would kindly address a letter or specimen to me at the office of this paper. W. B. Tegetmeier.—[Our correspondents in Ireland could readily do and should any of our readers visit the island of Islay they will find the rock dove most abundant on the headland of Oe, where these birds are particularly tame and fearless; they feed on the seeds of Lotus corniculatus. May we also invite attention to a supposed species closely allied to Columba livia but without the distinctive bars on the wings; the wing coverts and back are strongly marked and spotted with black, from which the bird has been called Columba macularia; this species or variety occurs abundantly at Sybil Head, on the west coast of Kerry, and is mentioned by Andrews. Thompson, and Blyth. It would be most interesting to ornithologists to learn Mr Tegetmeier's opinion about them.—ED.