62 THE PIGEON. 



stance of the Holy Spirit assuming that form when it 

 descended upon our Saviour. It is related by a gentle- 

 man, that, one day, having shot six pigeons, he brought 

 them home to be made into a pie. When he threw them 

 on the table, a Russian servant who was near, after several 

 ejaculations against his impiety and cruelty, snatched up 

 one of the dead birds, and bursting into tears, commenced 

 kissing and fondling it ; yet, a few days afterwards, she 

 plucked them without displaying the least uneasiness 

 a thing characteristic of the people, who, for the most part, 

 act from impulse. 



Many examples are given of the amiable and affectionate 

 character of the Domestic Pigeon, and of its interesting 

 habits. The following curious one, related by the Rev. 

 Mr. Adam, of England, is worth preserving : 



" About fourteen years ago," says the owner of the bird, 

 in a letter to the gentleman just mentioned, " the right 

 wing of the Pigeon which you saw in our house was bro- 

 ken by a shot, which was the means of his coming into 

 our possession. After recovering of his wound, he showed 

 his courage by defeating a hawk who had the audacity 

 to attack him, as he sat in the sill of a window. On one 

 occasion he was sent with his mate for we took care to 

 furnish him with one to the house of a gentleman in our 

 neighborhood ; and, while there, he gave many proofs of 

 his superiority as a bird of courage, at least when opposed 

 to others of his own species ; and this superiority he main- 

 tained until his comrade fell a prey to the rats. Poor 

 Poodle, (as we call him,) disconsolate at the loss of his 

 spouse, now left this place for his former habitation, no 

 doubt thinking that a change of scene might do him good ; 

 but, unable to fly, he was obliged to walk a distance of 

 somewhat more than a quarter of a mile. Wayworn and 

 bedaubed with mud, he trudged into the room, and emitted 

 his wonted COO-TOO as he took possession of his old castle, 



