CHAPTER IV 



THE VARIOUS BREEDS AND THEIR MARKINGS 



DARWIN divides the pigeon family into 

 four grand divisions, but a noted fan- 

 cier more simply divides it into three: 

 the rock-pigeon, or wild bird; the domesticated, 

 duffer, or common pigeon; and the artificial, or 

 fancy pigeon. Several hundred varieties of the 

 last named class, of which one hundred and 

 fifty are named and recognized by fanciers, 

 have been produced under domestication, some 

 of them differing but little, others to an aston- 

 ishing degree, from the wild stock, many really 

 being almost monstrous. Yet, no matter how 

 far removed in appearance, they all carry the 

 same nature, habits, and primal structural points 

 of the parent stock. 



The rock-pigeon, or original stock, receives 

 its name from inhabiting the rocky sea-coasts 

 and neighboring islands of Europe and North 

 Africa. It is rarely found inland except when 

 in search of food, when it is known to fly fifty 

 and seventy-five miles for grain. This, so Dar- 



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