S22 
THE DOVE-HOUSE PIGEON. 
Carrier is very likely to lose its Tray in thick, foggy weather ; that it 
does net fly by night, hut settles clown to roost as soon as the darkness 
comes on ; that it is unsafe to fly it long distances, unless it has been 
preTiously trained for the particular journey it has to accomplish ; 
that is, taken over portions of its ground at a time, gradually 
lengthening the distance. Again, the best authorities recomniend 
that the front of tlie pigeon-house, or a tall chimney, or some con- 
spicuous object near, should be whitewashed, to serve as a landmark 
to the birds; and yet again it has been observed that, -vrlien the 
ground is covered with snow, so as to alter the face of the landscape, 
the Pigeons seem to miss their points of guidance, and are lost. 
THE DOYE-HOUSE PIGEON. 
This name is often given to what Dixon caUs *a mixed rabble of 
birds, produced by allowing all sorts of mongrels to breed together 
at will ;' but, properly, it belongs to a distinct variety, if not, as 
some maintain, to a particular species, viz. the Blue Rock, described 
by some as Cohimba Li via, or, which is more likely, the Stock 
Dove, C. (Enas. To both of these AYild Doves this bird bears some 
resemblance in its form, size, and colouring. This is the commonest 
of all our domestic Pigeons. The general colour of the plumage is 
dark slate, the greater wing coverts being tipped with a lighter tint ; 
the neck is glossed with green and purple reflections ; the tail is 
barred with black ; the eyes and feet are red, as is most common 
with Doves and Pigeons. "Why the latter are so, an Arab legend 
tells us. "When the Dove returned a second time to the ark, the 
appearance of its feet proved that the water was abating, tor it had 
been able to walk in the red mud ; and Noah prayed that the feet of 
Doves might always be of that colour, to commemorate the event. 
Daniel Girton, in his * New and Complete Pigeon Fancier,' says, 
* The Dove-cote, or common Blue Pigeon, being both prolific and 
hardy, is most worthy the attention of country people and this 
kind will rear, if well fed and cared for, as many as eight, or even 
ten broods in the year. The young, when brought up by hand, be- 
come very tame ; and there is no variety which exceeds them in 
docility and attachment, although in a wild, or partially wild state, 
they are very shy ; and this, combined with their activity and great 
power of wing, causes them to be generally preferred by Pigeon 
shooters. By those who take part in the shooting matches, they are 
known as Blue Pocks, Duflfers, or Pockies. This bird is everywhere 
found in a state of domestication ; and there is no doubt that a gTeat 
many of the varieties of ' Toj's,' as the lower class of Pancy Pigeons 
are called, are of this kind, with slight changes or modifications, the 
result of crosses with other fancy kinds. 
