26 PIGEONS. 



blue rumps. The exact character of this local variety is so well described by 

 Jerdon, in his valuable and accurate work on the " Birds of India," that we have 

 much pleasure in quoting the account. He writes : — 



" The common Blue Pigeon differs from the Columba livia of Europe only in 

 having an ash-coloured instead of a pure white rump. This, however, appears to 

 be constant, and as Blyth remarks, is also always observable in domesticated 

 varieties in this country (India), when these assume the normal colouring. 



" The Blue Pigeon of India is one of the most common and abundant birds 

 throughout the country, congregating in large flocks, and breeding wherever they 

 can find suitable spots. They are most partial to large buildings, such as churches, 

 pagodas, mosques, tombs, and the like ; frequently entering verandahs of inhabited 

 houses, and building in the cornices. Holes in walls of cities or towns, too, are 

 favourite places ; and in some parts of the country they prefer holes in wells, 

 especially, I think, in the West of India, the Deccan, &c. In default of such spots, 

 they will breed in crevices and cavities of rocks, caverns and sea-side cliffs ; and I 

 have often noticed that they are particularly partial to rocky cliffs by waterfalls. 

 The celebrated falls of Gaiss-oppa are tenanted by thousands of Blue Pigeons, 

 which here associate with the large Alpine Swift. It is more rare in forest 

 countries generally than in the open country. It extends from Ceylon throughout 

 India to the Himalayas, and also to Assam, Sylhet, and Burmah. It is doubtful 

 if it occurs in Affghanistan, or in other parts of Central Asia. These pigeons are 

 held in favour by most natives, and almost venerated by some ; and if they build 

 in the house of a native, he considers it a most fortunate omen. 



" They are, however, very destructive to grain, assembling in vast flocks in the 

 cold weather, and, in general, the natives do not object to their being shot. They 

 are undoubtedly the origin of most of the domestic pigeons of India." 



Another local variety exists in the South of England, a third in Italy, a fourth 

 in Africa. These all vary slightly in their markings ; thus, the English variety 

 has a chequered instead of a pure blue wing. These were formerly regarded by 

 some naturalists as distinct species, but are now universally regarded as mere 

 local variations. As the authority of the eminent naturalist, Mr. Blyth, has been 

 quoted by Dixon and others in support of the view that these races constitute dis- 

 tinct species, we have much pleasure in reproducing a short extract from the 

 proceedings of the Dublin Natural History Society for 18G6, in which Mr. Blyth 

 stated : — 



" With regard to the Spotted Pigeon, occurring in the South of England, which he 

 had been the first to distinguish as a particular race, by the name Columba affinis, 

 he had now been long aware that it was no other than the common dovecote race, 

 which was bred in multitudes, to be turned out at pigeon matches. There are 

 many local races, or sub-species, each of which occupies its own area upon the 

 earth's surface : thus there is a Columba turretum (so called) in Italy, and a 

 Columba intermedia in India, and the Indo-Chinese countries, the common Blue 

 Pigeon of that region, which barely differs from the European Columba livia, 



