Pigeons fighting. 



CHAPTER III. 



CLASSIFICATION OF PIGEONS. 



Proposed classes. Ambiguous nomenclature. The question of origin. Ground 

 of the received opinion little investigated by naturalists. Estimate of Tem- 

 minck's authority. Difficulties and doubts suggested by the accounts of former 

 ornithologists The reader to sum up the evidence. Scheme of arrangement. 



As it is our object to consider these birds mainly in 

 reference to their actual or possible domesticability, it 

 will be found most convenient to arrange them into 

 three classes ; the first consisting of those which are 

 found in the domestic state only, and never met with 

 wild. It is a mistake to suppose that -any of the Fancy 

 Pigeons ever become even feral. A few half-breeds 

 between them and either the Blue Rock, or the Dove- 



