BIKUS. '^7 



taught to live in habits of dependence. Indeed, its I'ecimdily 

 seems to be increased by human cultivation ; since those pigeons 

 that live in a wild state, in the woods, are by no means so 

 fruitful as those in our pigeon-houses nearer home. The power 

 ot increase in most birds depends upon the quantity of their 

 food ; and it is seen, in more than one instance, that man, by 

 su})plying food in plenty, and allowing the animal at the same 

 time a proper share of freedom, has brought some of those kinds 

 which are known to lay but once a year, to become much more 

 prolific. 



The tame pigeon, and all its beautiful varieties, derive their 

 origin from one species, the stock-dove only; the English 

 name, implying .its being the stock or stem from whence the 

 other domestic kinds have been propagated. This bird, in its 

 natural state, is of a deep bluish ash-colour ; the breast dashed 

 with a fine changeable green and purple ; its wings marked with 

 two black bars ; the back white, and the tail barred near the 

 end with black.. These are the colours of the pigeon in a state 

 of nature ; and from these simple tints has man by art propa- 

 gated a variety that words cannot describe, nor even fancy sug- 

 gest. However, Nature still perseveres in her great outline ; 

 and though the form, colour, and even the fecundity, of these 

 Oirds, may be altered by art, yet their natural manners and in- 

 clinations continue still the same. 



The stock-dove, in its native woods diflfers from the ring- 

 dove, a bird that has never been reclaimed, by its breeding in 

 the holes of rocks and the hollows of trees. All other birds of 

 the pigeon kind build, like rooks, in the topmost branches of the 

 iforest, and choose their habitation as remote as possible from 

 man. But this species soon takes to build in artifical cavities; 

 and, from the temptation of a ready provision and numerous 

 society, easily submits to the tyranny of man. Still, however, 

 it preserves its native colour for several generations, and becomes 

 more variegated only in proportion as it removes from the original 

 simplicity of its colouring in the woods. 



The dove-house pigeon, as is well knorni, breeds every 

 month ; but then it is necessary to supply it with food when 

 the weather is severe, or the fields are covered with snow. 

 Upon other occasions, it may be left to provide for itself, and 

 it generally repays the owner for its protection. The pigeon 



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