Chap. VI. THEIR PARENTAGE. 199 



Nor is it probable, from what is known of the distribution of 

 birds, that the islands near Europe should have been inhabited 

 by peculiar species of pigeons ; and if we assume that distant 

 oceanic islands were the homes of the supposed parent-species, 

 we must remember that ancient voyages were tediously slow, 

 and that ships were then ill-provided with fresh food, so that 

 it would not have been easy to bring home living birds. 

 I have said ancient voyages, for nearly all the races of the 

 pigeon were known before the year 1600, so that the supposed 

 wild species must have been captured and domesticated before 

 that date. 



Secondly. — The doctrine that the chief domestic races are 

 descended from several aboriginal species, implies that several 

 species were formerly so thoroughly domesticated as to breed 

 readily when confined. Although it is easy to tame most wild 

 birds, experience shows us that it is difficult to get them to 

 breed freely under confinement; although it must be owned that 

 this is less difficult with pigeons than with most other birds. 

 During the last two or three hundred years, many birds have 

 been kept in aviaries, but hardly one has been added to our 

 list of thoroughly reclaimed species : yet on the above doctrine 

 we must admit that in ancient times nearly a dozen kinds 

 of pigeons, now unknown in the wild state, were thoroughly 

 domesticated. 



Thirdly. — Most of our domesticated animals have run wild 

 in various parts of the world ; but birds, owing apparently to 

 their partial loss of the power of flight, less often than quad- 

 rupeds. Nevertheless I have met with accounts showing that 

 the common fowl has become feral in South America and 

 perhaps in West Africa, and on several islands : the turkey 

 was at one time almost feral on the banks of the Parana ; and 

 the Guinea-fowl has become perfectly wild at Ascension 

 and in Jamaica. In this latter island the peacock, also, 

 "has become a maroon bird." The common duck wanders 

 from its home and becomes almost wild in Norfolk. Hybrids 

 between the common and musk-duck which have become wild 

 have been shot in North America, Belgium, and near the 

 Caspian Sea. The goose is said to have run wild in La Plata. 

 The common dovecot - pigeon has become wild at Juan 



