Chap. VI. THEIK REVERSION IN COLOUR. 213 



merit so many species. Thirdly, these supposed species having 

 nowhere become feral. Fourthly, the extraordinary fact that 

 man should, intentionally or by chance, have chosen for 

 domestication several species, extremely abnormal in cha- 

 racter; and furthermore, the points of structure which 

 render these supposed species so abnormal being now highly 

 variable. Fifthly, the fact of all the races, though differing 

 in many important points of structure, producing perfectly 

 fertile mongrels ; whilst all the hybrids which have been 

 produced between even closely allied species in the pigeon- 

 family are sterile. Sixthly, the remarkable statements just 

 given on the tendency in all the races, both when purely 

 bred and when crossed, to revert in numerous minute details 

 of colouring to the character of the wild rock-pigeon, and to 

 vary in a similar manner. To these arguments may be 

 added the extreme improbability that a number of species 

 formerly existed, which differed greatly from each other in 

 some few points, but which resembled each other as closely 

 as do the domestic races in other points of structure, in 

 voice, and in all their habits of life. When these several 

 facts and arguments are fairly taken into consideration, it 

 would require an overwhelming amount of evidence to make 

 us admit that the chief domestic races are descended from 

 several aboriginal stocks; and of such evidence there is 

 absolutely none. 



The belief that the chief domestic races are descended from 

 several wild stocks no doubt has arisen from the apparent 

 improbability of such great modifications of structure having 

 been effected since man first domesticated the rock-pigeon. 

 Nor am I surprised at any degree of hesitation in admitting 

 their common parentage : formerly, when I went into my 

 aviaries and watched such birds as Pouters, Carriers, Barbs, 

 Fantails, and Short-faced Tumblers, &c., I could not persuade 

 myself that all had descended from the same wild stock, 

 and that man had consequently in one sense created these 

 remarkable modifications. Therefore I have argued the 

 question of their origin at great, and, as some will think, 

 superfluous length. 



Finally, in favour of the belief that all the races ar^ 



