CHAPTER X 



WILD PIGEONS AND DOVES 



The wild pigeons and doves (Columbiformes), of which 

 in the world there are more than six hundred and fifty 

 species, take kindly to captivity. The majority are grain- 

 eaters, and there is no difficulty in meeting their wants, the 

 Old World Fruit Pigeons offering the only exception. The 

 present interest in game propagation has been concerned 

 chiefly with the gallinaceous birds, but the Columbiformes 

 are worthy of attention. The Passenger Pigeon, now lost 

 forever, throve in captivity, and at least one experimenter, 

 Prof. O. C. Whitman, bred it freely. Had a more seri- 

 ous effort been made, there is no reason to doubt that this 

 magnificent species could have been preserved. 



Doves do best in aviaries of good size, properly stocked 

 with plants and shrubs. Under such conditions they will 

 live for many years and most species will breed freely. Con- 

 trary to the commonly accepted belief, most doves are very 

 quarrelsome, and a mixed collection is constantly in a state 

 of turmoil. Individual cocks become exceedingly aggres- 

 sive, so that it may be impossible to keep with them other 

 birds of the same sex. This is not true of all species, of 

 course, the Mourning Dove, for instance, being extremely 

 friendly. 



Many species are very hardy, others require warmth in 

 winter. The amateur may easily decide for himself on this 

 point by merely determining the range of new acquisitions. 

 The native North American species, as the Mourning Dove 

 and Band-tailed Pigeon, are impervious to cold. Most of 

 the Australian species are equally hardy. Those from 



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