CHAP. III.] ESTIMATE OF TEMMINOK's AUTHORITY. 77 



produce such. Several such examples would be strictly 

 demanded to establish any novel principle in physiology ; 

 but the current, oft-repeated notion, that all Fancy 

 Pigeons are modifications of the Rock Dove, is allowed 

 to pass as a matter of course. 



Temminck's aversion to the task of disentangling do- 

 mesticated species, led him to lean in these matters far 

 too much on the guidance of such men as Buffon, Oli- 

 vier de Serres, and Parmentier. The first believed that 

 climate alone could effect such transformations as would 

 now be accounted miraculous. However, when Tem- 

 minck does think for himself, he arrives at a conclusion 

 not exactly consistent with the views of his predecessors, 

 or with his own introductory announcement. " The 

 Turbit," (Le Pigeon a Cravate,) he says, " does not will- 

 ingly pair with other Pigeons. This breed appears to 

 us to have constant characters which scarcely permit us 

 to suspect that it was originally derived from the Rock 

 Dove ; the bill, excessively short, thick and hard, sepa- 

 rates these Pigeons widely from other breeds ; the difii^ 

 culty which amateurs experience in making them pro- 

 pagate with the different breeds derived from the Rock 

 Dove, joined to their small stature, destroy in some sort 

 all supposition in respect to their specific identity. We 

 must nevertheless, not permit ourselves to form any con- 

 jectures as to the origin of these Pigeons a Cravate; the 

 date of their enslavement, which runs back into ages too 

 remote, will be an obstacle to all strict inquiry." 



It does not follow, that because the orgin of a race of 

 beings is removed beyond our search, that we are there- 

 fore at liberty to propose the first theory that comes to 

 hand, or, indeed, any theory, except those of either Au- 

 tochthonism (native growth) or importation, which is not 



