INTRODUCTION 



The order of Pigeons has been much studied by Ornithologists, 

 and therefore some notes on the literature relating to the subject 

 will not be out of place here. 



Between 1808 and 1811 there appeared a splendid work in folio, 

 ' Les Pigeons, par Madame Knip, nee Pauline de Courcelles, le texte 

 par C. J. Temminck, tome i. 86 pis., Paris.' This work is beautifully 

 illustrated and contains the descriptions of many new species. 



In 1813 Temminck published the ' Histoire naturelle generale 

 des Pigeons et des Gallinaces ' ; the first volume (pp. i-xvi, 1-499, 

 Amsterdam) contains the descriptions of about 90 species. 



A complete account of the Pigeons was published by Vieillot 

 in 1818 in the Article " Pigeon " which formed part of the 26th 

 volume of the ' Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle ' (pp. 286- 

 404). 



Later on, in 182:). Vieillot completed the account of the Pigeons, 

 begun in 1790 by Bonnaterre, in the first volume of the ' Tableau 

 Encyclope'dique et Methodique des trois Regnes de la Nature, 

 Ornithologie,' generally known under the name of ' Encyclopedic 

 Mi ; thodique ' ; the part written by Bonnaterre extends from 

 page 226 to 258, and the continuation by Vieillot from page 375 

 to 387. 



In 1827 Wagler in the ' Systema Avium ' gave an excellent 

 account with full descriptions, in Latin, of the species of the genus 

 Volumba, 213 in number, besides 16 doubtful species. The volume 

 of the 'Naturalist's Library '• devoted to this order and prepared 

 by Selby ( L835) is not complete and is rather superficially done. 



Between 1838 and 1843 Pre'vost published, in continuation of 

 Temminck'a gnat work, the second volume of 'Les Pigeons,' 

 containing *'>0 plates, executed by Madame Knip. 



In 1854 Bonaparte published a complete catalogue of the Pigeons 

 in the second volume of the ' Conspectus generum Avium,' pp. 5-96. 

 This is the best work done by Bonaparte, and may be consulted 

 with advantage even at the present time. Other researches on 



