36 ^ DOMESTIC PIGEONS. Chap. I. 



seven or eight species were so thoroughly domesticated in 

 ancient times by half-civilized man, as to be quite prolific un- 

 der confinement. 



An argument of grcat_ weight, and applicable in several 

 other cases, is, that the above-specified breeds, though agree- 

 ing generally with the wild rock-pigeon in constitution, habits, 

 voice, coloring, and in most parts of their structure, yet are 

 certainly highly abnormal in other parts ; we may look in vain 

 throughout the whole great family of Columbida? for a beak 

 liUe that of the English carrier, or that of the short-faced tum- 

 bler, or barb; for reversed feathers like those of the Jacobin; 

 for a crop like that of the pouter; for tail-feathers like those 

 of the fantail. Hence it must be assumed, not only that half- 

 civilized man succeeded in thoroughly domesticating several 

 species, but that he intentionally or by chance picked out ex- 

 traordinarily abnormal species ; and further, that these very 

 species have since all become extinct or unknown. So many 

 strange contingencies are improbable in the highest degree. 



Some facts in regard to the coloring of pigeons Avell de- 

 serve consideration. The rock-pigeon is of a slaty-blue, with 

 white loins ; the Indian sub-species, C intermedia of Strick- 

 land, having this part bluish ; the tail has a terminal dark bar, 

 with the outer feathers externally edged at the base with 

 white ; the wings have two black bars. Some semi-domestic 

 breeds, and some truly wild breeds, have," besides the two 

 black bars, the wings checkered with black. These several 

 marks do not occur together in any other species of the Avhole 

 family. Now, in every one of the domestic breeds, taking 

 thoroughly well-bred birds, all the above marks, even to the 

 white edging of the outer tail-feathers, sometimes concur per- 

 fectly developed. Moreover, when birds belonging to two or 

 more distinct breeds are crossed, none of Avhich are blue or 

 have any of the above-specified marks, the mongrel offspring 

 are very apt suddenly to acquire these characters. To give 

 one instance out of several which I have observed : I crossed 

 some white fantails, which breed very true, with some black 

 barbs — and it so happens that blue varieties of barbs are so 

 rare that I never heard of an instance in England; and the 

 mongrels were black, brown, and mottled. I also crossed a 

 barb with a spot, which is a white bird with a red tail and 

 red spot on the forehead, and Avhich notoriously breeds very 

 true ; the mongrels were dusky and mottled. I then crossed 

 one of the mongrel barb-fanlails with a mongrel barb-spot, and 



