166 TURKISH OR MAWMET PIGEON. 



and other countries, the race is kept uncontaminated 

 and pure. The Turkish variety, or that represented 

 in our Plate, on the contrary, possesses none of the 

 qualifications requisite for a speedy messenger, its 

 flight being slow and heavy, from its superior size 

 and weight, nor is it distinguished by any extraordi- 

 nary attachment to the place of its birth. It is 

 therefore probable, that the name of carrier has been 

 given to it more on account of its oriental origin, 

 where the pigeon was first made use of in this way, 

 than for any real fitness for such an office. It is 

 among the largest of the domestic pigeons, and is re- 

 markable for the tubercles which grow upon the soft 

 or membranous part of the bill, and the breadth of 

 the naked skin encircling the eye. It is of various 

 colours, but the dark-blue or red-brown predomi- 

 nates. 



We shall now take our leave of the Columba livia 

 and its varieties, and proceed to describe other inte- 

 resting members of the family. 



The next extensive division of the Columbidae we 

 have to notice, is that of the Turtles, or Ectopistina, 

 adopting the term from the genus Ectopistes, insti- 

 tuted by Mr Swainson for the reception of the Co- 

 lumba migratoria of authors, which, in all probability, 

 from the great development of its wings, tail, &c. 

 will prove the typical form of the group. They are 

 distinguished from the pigeons by a general inferior- 

 ity of size, by a bill of weaker conformation, by the 



