INTEODUCTION. 11 



two young pigeons," such as lie is able to get, 

 ■whence it is not improbable that domestic 

 pigeons were reared at an early, though not 

 very remote period, if not for food, for the ap- 

 pointed offerings and sacrifices ; but of this we 

 are by no means sure, nor unless the birds 

 were kept in cages, which we do not hear, 

 could their domestication be effected by a 

 nomadic people. This observation is equally 

 applicable to other species of the feathered 

 tribes. Domestic poultry necessarily require 

 a settled state of society, the permanent occu- 

 pation of dwellings, a fixed residence, a de- 

 finite possession of the land, an exchange of 

 camps and migrations in search of pasturage 

 for permanent villages and systematic agricul- 

 ture. Hence, though the Egyptians might 

 possess various domestic birds, coming under 

 the general title of poultry, and though these 

 might be known to the patriarchs, still, as 

 they were not among their possessions, and 

 for obvious reasons could not be, we cannot 

 be surprised that the Old Testament, in the 

 earlier books, makes no mention of them. 

 When, indeed, the Israelitish nation became 

 established, and its power consolidated, the 

 stronghold of Ziou being won from the 



