3 HISTORICAL. 



" Socrates. — ' Do you breed, then, from all alike, or are you 

 careful to do so, as far as possible, from tbe best?' 



" Glaucon.— ' From the best.'J^ 



This passage, so pregnant with truth to the experienced 

 breeder of all domestic animals, is the earliest record of 

 what may be called scientific breeding, and shows the observa- 

 tion of one of the wisest of mankind. It refers, without any 

 doubt, I think, to fancy pigeons ; for what other birds, varying 

 so much in excellence, would be kept indoors, in pairs, at 

 that time ? 



Xenophon (455-355 B.C.) says, in the " Anabasis " (Book I., 

 chap, vi.) : " After these occurrences, Cyrus proceeded four days' 

 march, a distance of twenty parasangs, to the river Chains, 

 which is a plethrum in breadth and full of tame fish, which 

 the Syrians looked upon as gods, and allowed no one to 

 hurt either them or the pigeons." 



Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), in the many references he makes 

 to pigeons in his '' History of Animals," appears to have had a 

 practical knowledge of them. He writes of them in a way 

 that shows he had either carefully observed their habits, or 

 got his information from an experienced fancier. 



On account of its gentle nature, the pigeon has been 

 protected in all ages. It is yet, as in Russia, and in most 

 Mahomedan countries, considered a sacred bird. In this 

 character, Tibullus (54-19 B.C.), the Roman poet, refers to it 

 in his eighth Elegy : " Why need I tell how the sacred 

 white pigeon flutters unmolested about the numerous cities 

 of Syrian Palestine ? " or, as an English poet renders it : 



Why need I tell how sacred through the skies 

 Of Syrian cities, the white pigeon flies ? 



which he doubtless learned from the works of Xenophon 

 and others, who assert, as above, that the Syi'ians considered 

 pigeons and doves sacred to their goddess Astarte, whom 

 the Greeks identified with Aphrodite (Venus). 



B 2 



