THE ROCK-DOTE. 



243 



THE ROCK-DOVE. 



This species is spread over a great portion of Europe, Asia, and 



Northern Africa, abound- 

 ing in the rocky islands of 

 the Mediterranean and in 

 the Orkneys. The Rock- 

 dove is more slender than 

 the Stock-dove, and is 

 astonishingly rapid in 

 flight. It may ; t once be 

 distinguished from the 

 latter by the white color 

 of the lower part of the 

 back, and the two distinct 

 bands of leaden black 

 across the wings. It is to 

 the Rock-dove a species 

 almost universally spread 

 in its wild state through- 

 out the Old World, that 

 the domestic Pigeon and 

 its varieties must be 

 referred. All these varie- 

 ties breed with each other, 

 and with the wild Rock- 

 dove ; and without due care, 

 all soon degenerate, as it is termed, and acquire the original form and 

 coloring. 



"Under tms species," writes Mr. Selby, " we include not only the- 

 common Pigeon, or inhabitant of the dove-cot, but all those numer- 

 ous varieties, or, as they are frequently termed, races of domesticated* 

 Pigeons, so highly prized, and fostered with such care and attention 

 by the amateur breeder or Pigeon fancier; for, however diversified? 

 their forms, color or peculiarity of habit rray be, we consider them all 

 as having originated from a few accidental varieties of the common< 

 Pigeon, and not from any cross of that bird with other species, n& 

 signs or marks whatever of such being apparent in any of the numer- 

 ous varieties known to us. In fact, the greater part of them owe 

 their existence to the interference and the art of man ; for by separting 

 from the parent stock such accidental varieties as have occasionally 

 occurred, by subjecting these to captivity and domestication, and by 

 assorting them and pairing them together, as fancy or caprice suges- 

 ted, he has at intervals generated all the various races and peculiar 

 varieties which, it is well known, when once produced, may be per- 

 petuated for an indefinite perod, by being kept separate from, and 

 unmixed with others; or what by those interested in such pursuits ia 

 usually termed ' breeding in and in.' " 

 16 



THE ROCK-DOVE. 



