24 DOMESTIC PIOEONS. 



the rock-pigeon, yet that by comparing the several sub- 

 breeds of these two races, more especially those brought 

 from distant countries, we can make, between them and 

 the rock-pigeon, an almost perfect series; so we can in 

 some other cases, but not with all the breeds. Thirdly, 

 those characters which are mainly distinctive of each breed 

 are in each eminently variable, for instance, the wattle and 

 length of beak of the carrier, the shortness of that of the 

 tumbler, and the number of tail-feathers in the fantail; 

 and the explanation of this fact will be obvious when we 

 treat of selection. Fourthly, pigeons have been watched 

 and tended with the utmost care and loved by many 

 people. They have been domesticated for thousands of 

 years in several quarters of the world; the earliest known 

 • record of pigeons is in the fifth Egyptian dynasty, about 

 3000 B.C., as was pointed out to me by Professor Lepsius; 

 but Mr. Birch informs me that pigeons are given in a bill 

 of fare in the previous dynasty. In the time of the 

 Eomans, as we hear from Pliny, immense prices were given 

 for pigeons; "nay, they are come to this pass, that they 

 can reckon up their pedigree and race." Pigeons were 

 much valued by Akber Khan, in India, about the year 

 1600; never less than 20,000 pigeons were taken with the 

 court. " The monarchs of Iran and Turan sent him some 

 very rare birds;" and, continues the courtly historian, 

 '•'His Majesty, by crossing the breeds, which method was 

 never practiced before, has improved tliem astonishingly." 

 About this same period the Dutch were as eager about 

 pigeons as were the old Eomans. The paramount impor- 

 tance of these considerations in explaining the immense 

 amount of variation which pigeons have undergone, will 

 likewise be obvious when we treat of selection. We shall 

 then, also, see how it is that the several breeds so often 

 have a somewhat monstrous character. It is also a most 

 favorable circumstance for the production of distinct 

 breeds, that male and female pigeons can be easily mated 

 for life; and thus different breeds can be kept together in 

 the same aviary. 



I have discussed the probable origin of domestic pigeons 

 at some, yet quite insufficient, length; because when I first 

 kept pigeons and watched the several kinds, well knowing 

 how truly they breed, I felt fully as much difficulty in 



