404 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



would suggest both swiftness and endurance superior to B, and 

 unequalled by any existing variety. This photograph was taken 

 from life by Mr, David Eddy of St. Leonards-on-Sea, Oct. 16th, 

 1903. 



Mr. M. Cox, writing from Alexandria, on May 29th, 1897, says : 

 " Some eight years ago we tried hybridizing both the Stock-Dove 

 and Wood-Pigeon with Homers, and succeeded in getting at least 

 two pairs of young, but both pairs died from some unknown cause 

 just after fledging." And, again, another suggests: — "Probably 

 had I given the old birds a plentiful supply of green food with 

 small unripe seed — such food as the Wood-Pigeon would obtain 

 in a wild state — in place of the dry corn on which they were fed, 

 I might have had more success in rearing hybrids." 



Both Bechstein and Wallace " know of no result attending 

 the mating of the Ring-Dove with the domestic Pigeon." Such 

 statements as these from recently published books suggested 

 this article to ' The Zoologist.' It may therefore be of interest 

 to describe the history of the Ring-Dove hybrid. It was taken 

 from the nest when only seven days old. I first mixed a little 

 castor-oil in a bread-pill, as I had noted nearly all the birds had 

 died from soured crop. After four hours I fed with a small piece 

 of raw beefsteak reduced to a warm pulp, and administered in 

 the smallest quantities so as to avoid internal irritation. Three 

 hours after I gave freshly crushed lettuce-leaves, followed with 

 warm crushed dari, wheat, and buckwheat, sprinkled sparingly 

 with the grit tonic prepared by Hyde. Early the next morning 

 I gave the bird a sulphur pill, continuing the treatment of the 

 previous day, with the addition of a few seeds of linseed at 

 night, over which boiling water had been poured. I found 

 heated elder-berries were eagerly taken. Guided by the clear- 

 ness of the eye, the general fledging and development, I con- 

 tinued judiciously the castor-oil pills, sulphur, and linseed, 

 never neglecting fresh lettuce and a few grains of medicinal grit. 

 The bird thrived wonderfully, became very tame, and in a month 

 could fly. When he was three weeks old I fed him upon ordinary 

 seed that had been soaked in warm water for about an hour, and 

 the lettuce-leaves he pecked from my hand. This bird has 

 shown much attachment to me, cooing at the sound of my 

 voice, and flying to my hand or shoulder when summoned 



