146 



BISET OR WILD ROCK-PIGEON. 



Columba livia. LATH. 

 PLATE XII. 



Columba livia, Lath. Ind. Orn. v. 2. 390. sp. 2. v. B. Briss. 

 Orn. 82. sp. 3. Colombe Biset, Sauvage, Temm. Pig. 



8vo. edit. ] . p. 125 Id. Man. tfOrnith. 2. 446 Biset 



and White-Rumped Pigeon, Lath. Ind. 4. 605. 2. A 



Rock-Dove, Mont. Orn. Diet Id. Sup Selby's Illus. 



Br. Orn. 2. 410. pi. 56. f. 2 The Common Pigeon or 

 Wild Dove, Low^s Faun. Oread, p. 52. 



ROCKY and precipitous cliffs, particularly those of 

 the sea-coast perforated by caverns, either originat- 

 ing in the nature of the rock itself, or worn and hol- 

 lowed out by the action of the waves, are the appro- 

 priate retreats of the pigeon in its wild or natural 

 state. In this condition it possesses a very exten- 

 sive geographical distribution throughout the mari- 

 time districts of the world, being abundant in most 

 of the Rocky Islands belonging to Africa and Asia, 

 and in those of the Mediterranean, where it swarms 

 in incredible numbers. Upon our own coasts it is 

 found wherever the nature of the barrier suits its 

 habits, extending as far as the Orkneys, where Low 

 describes it as the inhabitant of all their numerous 



