Varieties of Domestic Pigeons. 65 



found in the work of Neumeister, the German writer, the following : 

 " We shall not be very far removed from the truth in supposing that 

 the first beginning in forming races took place by climatic influences, 

 according to the same acting laws that produced species, but that these, 

 by domestication, artificially conducted pairing, and continued breeding, 

 in the course of thousands of years were raised to the highest expression 

 of race types. Original races with perfect characteristics are not found in 

 a free natural state ; these only could be produced under the care and 

 guardianship of man, who, as their protector, is rejoiced up to the present 

 day by their fine and rare forma, pleasing manners, and symmetrical 

 arrangement of colours. But that the supposition of their descent from 

 one primitive race is justified is proved by the facility with which all the 

 races, the common field pigeon included, can pair and produce fruitful 

 young ones, by the strikingly great resemblance of their nature, and the 

 inclination constantly to return to the wild blue colour and shape of the 

 field pigeon (Columba livia). The treacherous bluish colouring which 

 so frequently springs up in black, red, and yellow, on certain parts 

 (rump, vent, flights, and tail), is only too well known to every attentive 

 breeder." 



These ideas are quite in accordance with what I have expressed here 

 and elsewhere. I have already instanced the great differences existing 

 in various races of canary birds from what we know was their original 

 stock, and as we can fix the time that it hag taken to accomplish such 

 results with comparative accuracy, the "thousands of years " supposed 

 necessary by Neumeister for the perfecting of "Eace" pigeons may be 

 somewhat modified, though I have no doubt that some of our varieties 

 may have an unwritten pedigree of at least two thousand years. 



