POULTRY TRIBE. 243 



ornithologist, in describing what he himself wit- 

 nessed, confesses that he can scarcely believe what 

 he relates is fact. * 



He was travelling in 1813, when he came into 

 the track of an immense flock ; " While I travelled 

 on (he says) I met still more as I proceeded. 

 The air was literally filled with pigeons ; the 

 light of noonday was obscured as by an eclipse ; 

 the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes 

 of snow, and the continued buzz of wings, had a 

 tendency to lull my senses to repose." Heaven 

 has wdsely and graciously given to these birds 

 rapidity of flight and a disposition to range over 

 vast tracts of the earth, otherwise they must have 

 devoured the whole produce of agriculture or 

 perished in the districts they inhabited ; and thus 

 we have exemplified the truth of the Psalmist's 

 words, ' The eyes of all wait upon thee ; and thou 

 givest them their meat in due season.' "* 



DOMESTIC PIGEONS are a study of themselves ; the 

 principal ones are the barbary, the biset, the 

 carrier, the crested, the helmet, the horseman, the 

 jacobine, the laced, the Norway, the rough-footed, 

 the shakers, the smiter, the spot, the tumbler, the 

 turbit, the turner, besides a countless number of 

 mixed breeds. 



Of these the carrier is the most deserving of 

 * Psalm Hi., cxlv, 15. 



