Splendid Calculaiions. 1 83 



and commencing, are indications oi* their 

 approaching union. NestKngs, whilst fed 

 by the cock and hen, are termed squabs, 

 and are at that age sold and used for the 

 table. The dove-house pigeon is said to 

 breed monthly, being well supplied witli 

 food, more particularly when the ground is 

 bound by frost, or covered with snow. At 

 any rate it may be depended on, that pigeons 

 of almost any healthy and well established 

 variety, will breed eight or ten times in the 

 year ; whence it may be conceived, how 

 immense are the quantities which may be 

 raised. Nevertheless, it is with difficulty 

 that one can give entire credit to the cal- 

 culations in such respect^ on pigeons and 

 rabbits ; bringing to remembrance, to com- 

 pare small things with great, the earths of 

 gold, of the celebrated Doctor Price, 

 which have been so greatly reduced in 

 number and weight, by subsequent doctors. 

 But I suppose we must not question the 

 positive testimony of Stillingfleet, who as- 

 serts, that fourteen thousand seven hundred 

 and sixty pigeons, "were produced from one 



