210 PIGEON. 



bodies, which are tender, are pure in such as feed on 

 grain, but impure in those feeding on insects. Many of 

 them show much skill in the structure of their nests, are 

 remarkable for their fidelity to their mates, and chiefly 

 rest on trees. 



THE PIGEON. 



This bird, in all its beautiful varieties, derives its origin 

 from the stock-dove ; but the discriminations are become 

 so numerous, from cultivation, that it is impossible to 

 enumerate or describe them. The domestic pigeon, which 

 is itself the creature of art, has given rise to many elegant 

 varieties, all distinguishable by names expressive of their 

 several properties ; as tumblers, carriers, jacobins, crop- 

 pers, pouters, vents, turbits, owls, nuns, c.: and bird- 

 fanciers can multiply the families almost infinitely, by 

 coupling a male and a female of different sorts. 



The domestic pigeon is wonderfully prolific ; it lays two 

 eggs, and usually breeds every month : and, except during 

 severe weather, is in general capable of supplying itself 

 with food. The period of incubation is fifteen days, 

 during which, the male and the female relieve each other. 

 Their turns are generally regulated with great exactitude : 

 the female usually sitting from about four in the evening 

 till nine next morning ; at which time she is superseded 

 by the male, who diligently supplies her place till nearly 

 the return of the same hour, while she is busy in search- 

 ing for food. If the female should prove negligent of 

 her duty, the male will pursue and drive her to the nest ; 

 while, on the other hand, should the male not return at 

 the expected time, his mate will treat him with equal 

 severity. 



When the young are hatched, they require no food for 

 the first three days, but only to be kept warm. After this 

 the parents feed them for eight days, by discharging into 

 their mouths whatever they have themselves been able to 

 treasure up in their crops. This mode of feeding the 

 young is -peculiar to the family of pigeons ; and their crop 



