PIEXE-GALLO. A Brazilian fifh; called 
alFo, in the language of the aborigines, Abaca- 
tuaia; which bears a pretty near reiemblance to 
the doree or faber. 
PIEXE-PORCO. An appellation under 
which fome have expreffed the monoceros pilcis, 
or unicorn fifh of Clufius. It's mouth fomevvhat 
refennbles that of a hog. 
PIGEON. In the Linnsan fyllem of ornitho- 
logy, a diftinft genus of birds of the order of paf- 
feres; and, according to fome authors, of the order 
ofpicfe: the diftinguilhing charafters of which 
are; that the tongue is whole and even; that the 
beak is ftraight, and fcurfy at the bafe; and that 
the noftrils are long, and externally covered with 
a tumid membrane. Linnsus enumerates forty, 
fpecies; the moft curious of which, together 
with fome non-defcripts in the Englidi language, 
follow. 
Pigeon, Common; the Columba CEnas of 
Linnsus. This bird, and all it's beautiful varie- 
ties, derive their origin from one fpecies, the fcock- 
dove; the name implying the ftock or ftem from 
which the other domeftic kinds have proceeded. 
In it's natural ftate, this fpecies is of a deep blue- 
ifli afn-colour ; the breaft is dallied with a fine va- 
rying green and purple; the fide of the neck with 
a fplendid copper colour; and the wings are 
marked v/ith two black bars, one on the quill- 
feathers, the other on the coverts. The back is 
white; and the tail is barred near it's end with 
black. Such are the colours of the Pigeon in a 
ftate of nature; and from thefc fimple tints the art 
of man has produced a variety which words can 
reither defcribe nor fancy fuggell. Nature, how- 
ever, preferves her general outline; and though 
the form and colour of thefe birds may be altered 
by art, their natural habits and inclinations Hill 
remain unchanged. 
This Pigeon is eafily induced to build in arti- 
ficial cavities ; and, from the temptation of a ready 
nibfulence, is ufually tamed without much diffi- 
^^ulty. From the domeftic Pigeon many elegant 
varieties may be produced ; which are diftin- 
guifhed by names exprelTive of their feveral pro- 
perties: fuch as tumblers, carriers, jacobines, 
croppers, pouters, vents, turbits, owls, nuns, &c. 
But it would be idle to attempt an enumeration 
of all ; for fo much are their figure and colour un- 
der human controul, that bird-fanciers, by cou- 
pling a m^ale and a female of different forts, can, 
according to their phrafe, breed them to a feather. 
The dom.eftic Pigeon breeds every month ; 
but, during fevere weather, it is neceffary to fup- 
ply it with food : at other times it may be left to 
provide for itfelf, and it's owner is fufficiently re- 
paid for affording it proteftion. It lays two 
white eggs, Vv^hich ufually produce young ones of 
different fexes. After the eggs are laid, the fe- 
male continues to fit about fifteen days, relieved 
at intervals by the male. Their turns are gene- 
rally regulated with great exa6litude: the female 
fits from about four in the evening till nine the 
next morning; at which time flie is relieved by 
the male, who fupplies her place till about three, 
while fhe is fearching for provifions abroad. Thus 
they alternately fit till the young are excluded. 
If, during this term, the female negiefts her duty, 
the male purfues her, and drives her to her neft; 
and if the male does not return at the expected 
time, the female retaliates with equal feverity. 
Vvhen the young Pigeons are hatched, they 
require no food for the three firft days; but they 
muff be kept warm during that period, a duty 
which the female takes upon herfelf, never leaving 
them but while fhe takes a little food for her 
own fupport. After this they are fed for eighc 
or ten days with whatever the parent birds have 
collefted in the fields, or treafured up in their 
crops, from whence they difcharge it into the 
mouths of their expeftant off^spring. This mode 
of feeding the young from the crop, in birds of 
this kind, differs from that of all others. Pi- 
geons, it is Vv^eil known, live folely on grain and 
water : thefe are mixed together in t'neir crops> 
and digeftecl in proportion as the animals lay in 
their provifions. But when about to feed their 
young, which are extremely voracious, they take 
in am,ore plentiful fupply, to give the food a kind 
of half maceration, in order to adapt it to their 
tender appetites. For this purpofe. Nature has 
provided very large crops for birds of the Pigeon 
tribe; and that variety called croppers diffend 
them in fuch a manner, that their breafts appear 
larger than their bodies. The neceffity for this 
peculiar mechanifm is very obvious: the young, 
with open mouths, receive from their crop this 
tribute of affeftion ; and are thus fed about three 
times daily. The males ufually fupply the young 
females with food, and the females perform the 
fame office for the young males. At firft, the 
young are ferved with food confiderably mace- 
rated ; but as they grow older, the parents gra- 
dually diminifli the trouble of the preparation, 
and at length fend them forth to fliift for them- 
felves. Flowever, when they have plenty of pro- 
vifions, they do not wait for the total difmiffion 
of their young: for it is not uncommon to fee 
young ones almoft fit for flight, and eggs hatch- 
ing at the fame tim.e in the identical neft. 
The fidelity of the turtle-dove is become pro- 
verbial; but the Pigeon of the dove-houfe can. 
boaft of no fuch conilancy, having imbibed licen- 
tioufnefs from man, am.ong it's other domeftic 
habits.. Two males frequently quarrel about the 
fame miftrefs; and fometimes, being difpleafed 
with their refpe6live m.ates, have been known to 
make an exchange, and live with their nev/ com- 
panions in perfeft harmony. 
The produce of domeftic Pigeons is fo very 
amazing, that from a fingle pair near fifteen 
thoufand may be bred in the fpace of four years. 
Stock-doves, however, feldom breed above twice 
a year ; for during the winter months they are fo 
fully employed in providing for their ov/n pre- 
fervation, that they negleft tranfmitting a pofte- 
rity. But they have a ftronger attachment to 
their young than thofe which breed often ; owing, 
perhaps, to their affeiflions being lefs divided by 
the multiplicity of the claimants. 
Pigeons are extremely perfpicacious ; and their 
auditory organs are very clear. They are alfo 
very fv/ift in flight, particularly when purfued by 
the hawk or the kite. They are gregarious by 
nature ; bill in their courtfiiip ; and utter a mourn- 
ful or plaintive note. 
A lord of a manor may erecTt a Pigeon-houfc 
upon his land, but a tenant muft obtain his lord's 
licence to render it legal : and when perfons fiioot 
at or kill Pigeons v^ithin a certain diftance of the 
Pigeon-houfe, they are liable to a forfeiture. 
That a Pigeon-houfe may be erefted to ad- 
vantage, it is necefl^ary to pitch on a convenient 
fituation ; and none is more proper than the mid- 
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