84 THE PIGEON. 



stronger than their feelings of humanity, or compas- 

 sion. Such persons shoot these innocent birds when- 

 ever they can find them. The attachment, and fidel- 

 ity of Turtle Doves to each other, has been known 

 and taken notice of in all ages, and not unfrequently 

 celebrated in poetry. Nor is the idea of an uncom- 

 mon affection between them imaginary, for if a pair 

 be placed in a cage and suffered to remain together 

 for a while, and then one be taken away, the other 

 will soon pine away and die of grief. 



A pair of Turtle Doves had been long together in a 

 cage, when, during the absence of one of them, the 

 other was killed by an unruly dog. When the other 

 came home, and found that his partner was gone, he 

 searched for her in all the places where she might be 

 expected to be found, but not finding her, he came 

 back to the cage, and there perched himself on the 

 feeding place, where they usually sat together. Here 

 he W 7 aited her return, constantly moaning her absence 

 for two days. But being disappointed in his hopes of 

 seeing her, he after that time refused to take any more 

 food, and perpetually moaning his loss, gradually pined 

 away and died on the spot. 



The Dove is several times mentioned in the scrip- 

 tures, and by the Levitical law was not only allowed 

 *o be eaten as a clean bird, but was also, sometimes, 

 enjoined to be used in sacrifice. *' A Turtle Dove and 

 two young pigeons," were a part of the offering which 

 the Lord directed Abraham to make, as preparatory 

 to the revelation he made him concerning the destiny 

 of his posterity. In certain cases of sacrifice, directed 

 by the Levitical law, where the poverty of the person 



