THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 137 



use their wings much. The pairs show con- 

 siderable devotion, and often caress each other 

 with their bills, but they are not more attached 

 in reality than many other birds. Most species 

 perch, but a few are entirely terrestrial. 

 Economic Qualities. — They are edible, and some are 

 very good ; but at times they are apt to be destructive 

 owing to their fondness for cultivated crops. The 

 fruit-eating species, however, are harmless, and 

 useful in spreading trees, as they pass the seed 

 undigested, while the smaller seed-eating species 

 destroy much weed-seed. 

 Captivity. — They live very well indeed, even in cages, 

 and usually breed ; few of the fruit-eaters, how- 

 ever, have as yet been reared in confinement. Two 

 species are completely domesticated : the Common 

 Pigeon, the ancestor of which is the wild Blue Rock 

 {Columba livia), and the Collared Dove {Turhir 

 risorius), which seems to have originated from the 

 wild species T. roseogriseus. 

 Distribution and Important Species. — The Pigeons 

 and Doves are found almost all over the world, 

 except in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, even 

 on the remotest islands ; there are over five 

 hundred species. Few frequent completely open 

 country, as the ground-feeders usually breed and 

 roost on trees, while the fruit-pigeons, naturally, 

 always frequent wooded country. Most are found 

 in hot climates, and few are migratory. 



The Blue Rock-Pigeon is widely spread wherever 

 there are cliffs in the Old World ; the tree -haunting 

 Wood-Pigeon {Columba palumbtis) is also widely 

 distributed. Turtle-Doves {Turtur) are commonest 

 in hot climates, and confined to the Old World ; 

 in India the Spotted Dove {T. suratensis) is one 

 of the commonest kinds, and the Collared Turtle 

 {T. decaocto) is also common there and extends west 



