PIGEON 72 
so remarkable for its discontinuous distribution, already noticed 
(p. 342)—one of its two species, C. cooki, being the Blue Pie of the 
Iberian Peninsula, and the other, C. cyana, that of Eastern Asia 
with Japan. 
PIGEON, French Pigeon, Italian Piccione and Pipione, Latin 
Pipio, literally a nestling-bird that pipes or cries out, a “ Piper ”— 
the very name now in use among Pigeon-fanciers; The word 
Pigeon, doubtless of Norman introduction as a polite term, seems 
to bear much the same relation to Dove, the word of Anglo-Saxon 
origin, that mutton has to sheep, beef to ox, veal to calf, and pork 
to bacon ; but, as before stated (p. 162), no sharp distinction can 
be drawn between the two, and the collective members of the group 
Columbx are by ornithologists ordinarily called 
Pigeons. Perhaps the best known species to 
which the latter name is exclusively given in 
common speech! is the Wild or PASSENGER- 
PrGEoN of North America, Ectopistes, already 
mentioned; but among the multitudinous 
forms very few can here be noticed. A species which seems worthy 
of attention as being one that might possibly repay the trouble of 
domestication, if any enterprising person would give it the chance, 
is the Wonga-wonga or White-fleshed Pigeon of Australia, Lew- 
cosarcia picata, a bird larger than the Ring-Dove, of a slaty-blue 
colour above and white beneath, streaked on the flanks with black. 
It is known to breed, though not very freely, in captivity, and is 
said to be excellent for the table. As regards flavour, however, 
those who have been so fortunate as to eat them declare that the 
green Fruit-Pigeons of the genera Teron and Vinago and their allies 
surpass all birds. These inhabit tropical Africa, India, and especi- 
ally the Malay Archipelago; but the probability of domesticating 
any of them is very remote. Hardly less esteemed are the Pigeons 
Ecropistrs. (After Swainson.) 
VINAGO. PriLopus. PuHars. 
(After Swainson.) 
of the featherlegged genus Ptilopus and its kindred forms, which 
have their headquarters in the Pacific Islands, though some occur 
far to the westward, and also in Australia. Among them are 
found the most exquisitely-coloured of the whole Family, and the 
Fijian Chrysenas victor with its glorious orange plumage especially 
1 It may be observed that the ‘‘ Rock-Pigeons” of Anglo-Indians are SAND- 
Grousk, and the ‘‘Cape Pigeon” of sailors is a PETREL. 
