﻿6o6 PIGEON. 



eafier terms than in their abfolutely wild ftate, they are for the 

 mod part fatisfied with their fituation ; yet thefe may be called 

 but half domeflicated, as they vary but little in colour, and are 

 very apt to return to fuch haunts as one may fuppofe them to 

 have firft poffefied in their wild ftate. But it is far otherwife 

 with what are called tame Pigeons : thefe, looking only to their 

 keeper for food, fearch no further; nay, were they deprived of 

 that, would be near perifhing for want, not being accuftomed to 

 provide for them felves. I mean here thofe kept by Pigeon fan- 

 ciers, who teach them to bear the confinement of the houfe; and, 

 finding therein plenty of meat and drink, they have no occafion to 

 regret the want of liberty. Indeed there are many Pigeons kept 

 by various people, which are called tame, but are not attended 

 to with that degree of ftrictnefs which the fancy Pigeons are ; 

 and though they may find fome food at home, yet are obliged to 

 feek the remainder abroad. 



In its wild ftate the Pigeon has two broods in a year, but in 

 its firft ftate of confinement in the dove-houfe fometimes three ; 

 and fo on in proportion, to their almoft total confinement, or 

 domeftic ftate ; for in this laft circumftance they lay fo often as 

 ten and even twelve times in a year. This, on confideration, 

 will not appear fo wonderful as at firft might be imagined, as it 

 alfo holds good in feveral kinds of poultry, the origin of which 

 is well known not to vary in the wild ftate. But this is not all j 

 for it is to this ftate of domejtication, if I may fo call it, that we 

 are indebted for all the varieties of the fineft fruit, luxuriant 

 vegetables for the table, and variety without end of the flowering 

 part of the creation ; wholly occafioned by culture, and all of 

 which will again degenerate, as well as thofe of the animal Crea- 

 don, on their return to a ftate of nature. 



2 Picons 



