MOVEMENT IN BIRDS 



raven as it gambols in the air may see 

 the first natural departure from a normal line of 

 flight which, if developed, might in time become 

 definite "tumbling" as seen in the pigeon. 

 The tendency to eccentricity when on the wing 

 would probably be found to belong to one par- 

 ticular bird. If a like peculiarity were noted 

 later in another of the same species and the two 

 were paired, a race might be founded differing 

 in mode of flight from the original stock to an 

 extent which in time might point to a new species. 

 The difficulties of applying any system of 

 artificial selection to wild birds are of course 

 insuperable. But the principle — as Darwin has 

 so conclusively shown — may be seen clearly at 

 work in the case of the pigeon. For the pigeon 

 differs from every other bird in one most im- 

 portant respect. It retains every characteristic 

 and privilege of a true wild bird, yet by reason 

 of its " homing " habit man is able to regulate 

 its pairing instinct and imperceptibly, to sur- 

 round it by conditions of life which he himself 

 determines. This he has succeeded in doing 

 without impairing its natural sense of freedom, 

 and thus, unlike the domestic fowl or duck, it 

 loses nothing of its wing-power. 



To produce a tumbler which will perform a 

 series of even revolutions in mid-air falling many 

 feet in each descent has been the work of ages. 

 But in this case it can be shown beyond doubt 

 that man has had ages to work in. Professor 

 Lepsius has stated that there are definite records 

 of pigeons being kept in the fifth Egyptian dynasty 

 about 3,000 B.C. That pigeon-fancying is no 

 new pastime may be gathered from the statement 

 of Pliny, that in the time of the Romans immense 

 prices were given for high-class birds — " nay, 



I 



47 



