THE WILD EOCK PIGEOH". 469 



the presence or absence of the reddish hue is a sure criterion 

 by which to distinguish the sex. 



Diseases. Besides diecline, which may be treated in the 

 manner mentioned in the Introduction, the Turtle Dove seems 

 liable to all the diseases which attack the persons with whom 

 they live. In this manner it catches the small-pox, swollen 

 feet, &c. The young birds, before they are able to feed them- 

 selves, often suffer from ulcers in the crop, which exude a 

 foetid, cheesy matter. This disease is almost always fatal ; but 

 it may be prevented by supplying the old birds with abundance 

 of fresh water, and a change of food. Owing to the many 

 diseases to which this bird is liable, it rarely lives more than 

 eight years. 



Attractive Qualities. The Collared Turtle is a very clean 

 bird, and its cooing, hihihihihririh ! resembles the sound of hu- 

 man laughter. The male is very fond of his mate ; perches 

 near her during the night, and appears to delight her with his 

 cooing. When he invites her to the nest, he utters another 

 note, which rather resembles a howl, but does not turn himself 

 round, like the Domestic Pigeon. He hops towards her, then 

 stands still, lowers his head to the ground, dilates his crop, and 

 cries, Kukruhl 



184. THE WILD EOCK PIGEON. 



Columba Domestlca, LIN. Bisct, ou Pigeon de Roche, BUF. Die Hau- 

 staube, BECH. 



Description. As the Domestic Pigeon, of which this species 

 is the original stock, is, correctly speaking, an inhabitant of 

 the farm-yard, I might with propriety pass it by without men- 

 tion. Nevertheless, as there are varieties, which the bird- 

 fancier might not think unworthy of a place in the aviary, I 

 subjoin a few particulars. The Wild Eock Pigeon is the 

 parent stock of the numerous varieties of Domestic Pigeons. 

 In Germany, it may be noticed in open dove-cots in the farm- 

 yards, in churches, towers, old buildings, &c. ; while in Eng- 

 land, Italy, and Eussia, it is found wild in great numbers in 

 holes of the rocks at the sea side. It is bare-headed, and the 

 hue of its plumage is dark grey, or lead-colour, with a purple 

 gloss on the head and breast. The lower part of the back is 

 white ; two blackish blue stripes cross each other on the wings; 

 the pen feathers are blackish blue j the tail grey, tipped with 



