1857.] Description of a new Indian Pigeon. 217 



Description of a new Indian Pigeon, aJcin to the ' Stock Dove* of 

 Europe ; with notices of other Columbine. — By Edward Bltth. 



In no other group of birds is the difficulty of discriminating be- 

 tween species and permanent varieties, whatever latitude may be 

 allowed under either denomination, so great and so constantly recur- 

 ring as in sundry genera of Pigeons. And yet each race, however 

 slightly distinguished from certain other races, is remarkably true 

 to its particular distinctive characters, wheresoever it be found ; and 

 it remains to shew that any gradations or transitions occur from one 

 to another, which might not be readily accounted for by intermix- 

 ture, where such cognate races meet. The numerous permanent 

 races (considered by the Prince of Canino and others as species) 

 affined to Turttjr risorius, or to T. aurittjs, afford ample exem- 

 plification 5 and we are unaware that any of these have been known 

 to interbreed one with another. Moreover, so far as has been ob- 

 served, it would seem that the voice or coo differs appreciably in 

 each race, just as the notes of other proximate but distinct species 

 of birds do, in general, to a notable extent — as familiarly exempli- 

 fied by those of the British Phylloscopus trochilus and Ph- 

 rtjfus, and of many others that might be cited. 



In Europe, three kinds of wild Pigeon are familiarly known, in 

 addition to the wild Turtle Dove (Columha turtur, L.) They are 

 the common ' Ring-dove,' Cushat, or Marnier (0. palumhus, L.), the 

 * Stock-dove' or Coliombin (G. osnas, L.), and the ' Rock-dove/ 

 ' Rockier,' or Biset (C. livia, Latham) : the first two of which are for- 

 esters, habitually perching and roosting upon trees ; and the third is 

 chiefly an inhabitant of sea-cliffs and never alights on a tree. The 

 first builds a platform nest which is supported by the lighter 

 branches of trees ; the second builds in the holes of trees (old 

 pollard ' stocks' especially), and not unfrequently in Rabbit-bur- 

 rows ; and the third resorts to the cavities and deep recesses of 

 precipitous rocks, and especially the caverns of sea-cliffs, where it 

 nidificates in large societies. Each is the type of a generic or sub- 

 generic group (i. e. a named division) according to the Prince of 

 Canino ; and each has its immediate representative or counterpart 

 in India. 



2 r 



