872 RASORES. . 



of one that was attacked by a falcon, and* rescued by the hero, 

 Godfrey; but, though they continued to be used down to modern 

 times, and at last, for such ignoble purposes as heralding the fel- 

 on's death, increasing the gains of stock-jobbers, or bearing mes- 

 sages from the race course and prize ring, (see Hogarth's 

 print in the Penny Magazine,) yet since the invention and appli- 

 cation of the electric telegraph, their " occupation is " almost 

 " gone." A well trained carrier-pigeon, it is said, has " performed 

 the distance of forty miles in half an hour;" and " one has been 

 known to fly nearly one hundred and fifty miles in an hour ! " 

 Their more usual rate of flight probably does not exceed forty 

 miles an hour. 



Other " fancy varieties " might be mentioned, but those given 

 must suffice. 



The astonishing fecundity of the domesticated pigeon is shown 

 by the fact, that hatching as they do, nine or ten times a year, a 

 single pair may produce, in four years, 14,760 young ! 



The TURTLE-DOVE, Turtur, (Lat. turtle-dove.) risorius, (laugh- 

 ing,) or Columba risorius, is deemed a fitting emblem of con- 

 stant and faithful connubial attachment; it expresses its affection 

 by " billing and cooing in the gentlest and most soothing accents." 

 This bird reaches England early in the Spring, and leaves late 

 in August ; its length is rather more than twelve inches. The 

 specific name, (risorius,) is given to it from a "fancied resem- 

 blance to the human laugh in its cooings." 



The CAROLINA TURTLE-DOVE, Columba (Ectopistes) Caroli- 

 nensis, is twelve inches long, and ranges and breeds from Texas 

 to Massachusetts. The plumage of the upper parts is light yel- 

 lowish brown, with the crown of the head and upper part of the 

 neck, bright greenish blue ; the under parts are brownish yel- 

 low. Wilson says : " This is a favorite bird with all who love 

 to wander among our woods in the spring, and listen to their va- 

 ried harmony. They will hear there many a sprightly per- 

 former ; but none so mournful as this. The hopeless woe of set- 

 tled sorrow, swelling the heart of female innocence itself, could 

 not assume tones more sad, more tender and affecting. They 

 are generally heard in the deepest shaded part of the woods, fre- 

 quently about noon, and towards the evening. There is, however, 

 nothing of real distress in all this; it is the voice of LOVE, for 

 which the whole family of doves are celebrated, and none more 

 so than the species before us." 



The PASSENGER PIGEON, or Wild Pigeon, Columba (Ectopistes) 

 migratoria, is found in all parts of North America, and in par- 

 ticular districts is, at times, wonderfully abundant. It is usually 



