Mr. E. Blyth on the Columbinse. 511 



sundry old-established dove-cots have been stocked with it in 

 various parts of Britain, where the race is maintained pure ; and 

 as thus observed, it shows no disposition to associate with the 

 domestic breeds in neighbouring dove-cots, although considered 

 to be the parent race from which the latter are mainly derived. 

 Even when eggs taken from the inland colonies referred to have 

 been hatched, and the young brought up by domestic Pigeons, 

 these Rockiers have been known to quit their foster-parents, as 

 soon as they could fly strongly, to rejoin their immediate rela- 

 tives and progenitors. Another characteristic of the race is, 

 that they like to breed in extensive societies ; so that the large 

 colonies of them soon absorb any stray birds, even from a great 

 distance. 



In England there is likewise a race of wild or semi-wild Blue 

 Pigeons which maintains itself distinct, and (though numerous 

 in individuals) continues as true to its distinctive colouring and 

 all other characters as does the genuine Rockier, of which it is 

 regarded as a variety. These birds frequent inland cliffs and 

 large buildings ; being also extensively reared in dove-cots, to 

 meet the demand for pigeon-matches. They have invariably a 

 speckled wing, each covert being marked with a black spot on 

 each of its webs, in addition to the black bars of the typical 

 livia. The scapularies also are thus marked, and the back in- 

 distinctly. The croup is pure white, as in the ordinary livia ; 

 and the race is chiefly remarkable for the permanency of its par- 

 ticular markings, and for commonly inhabiting much more inland 

 than the true Biset^. 



Another such race in Italy (a degree, perhaps, more different) 

 is indicated by the Prince of Canino by the name of C. turricohj 

 and it has also been received from Persia j the croup being of 

 "2i pale blue-grey" — whitish-grey (?), as in the Indian 'Stock 

 Dove^ — " never pure white." 



Another, again, is termed- by him C. rupestris, from the moun- 

 tainous and rocky parts of Songaria and Dauria (or Dahuria), — 



* The same spotting of the wing is common among the Indian domestic 

 Pigeons derived immediately from C. intermedia, and otherwise not diflfer- 

 ing from the pure wild race of the latter ; but I know of no analogous wild 

 or semi-wild race in this country, which presents this particular colouring 

 as a constant distinction. Individuals or pairs so marked are here common 

 among the tame flocks, with other varieties of colouring, as black, buff, 

 pure white, pied, &c., and without variation in other characters or tendency 

 to assume the pecuharities of the various ' fancy breeds.' These last mani- 

 fest no tendency ever to return to wildness, their domestication being too 

 complete ; but tame Pigeons of some kind are said to have gone wild in 

 North America, a few pairs of them breeding along the highlands of the 

 Hudson; and whether these * feral' birds tend to assume a uniform and 

 typical coloration, we have not learned. 



