THE DOVES OR PIGEONS. 
51 
employment the female takes entirely upon herself. During 
this period she never stirs out, except lor a few minutes to 
take a little food. From this they are fed eight or ten days, 
"with corn or grain of different kinds which the old ones 
gather in the Hold, and keep treasured up in their crops, 
whence they throw it up again into the mouths of their young 
ones, who very greedily devour it. 
So great is the produce of this bird in its domestic state, 
that near fifteen thousand may, in the space of four years, 
be produced from a single pair. Those pigeons which are 
called carriers, and are used to convey letters, are easily dis- 
tinguished from all others by their eyes, which are compassed 
about with a broad circleof naked white skin, and by being 
of a dark blue or blackish colour. It is from their attach- 
ment to their native place, and particularly where they have 
brought up their young, that these birds are employed in se- 
veral countries as the most expeditious carriers. They are 
first brought from the place where they were bred, and whi- 
ter it is intended to send them back with information. The 
fetter is tied under the bird’s wing, and, after feedingit well, 
Jest it should stop by the way to eat, it is let loose to return. 
Jhe little animal no sooner finds itself at liberty, than its 
Passion for its native spot directs all its motions. It is seen, 
upon these occasions, flying directly into the clouds to an 
amazing height ; and then, with the greatest certainty and 
exactness, directing itself by some surprising instinct towards 
Home, which lies sometimes at many miles distance. It is 
Sa 'd, that in the space of an hour and a half, they sometimes 
Perform a journey of forty miles ; and Thevenot relates, that 
Ule y commonly travel from -Aleppo to Alexandria, above 
ei cfbty-eighi miles, in less than six hours. 
I he varieties of the tame pigeon are so numerous, that it 
Would be a vain attempt to mention them : so much is the 
h gure and colour of this bird under human control, that 
P'geon-f'anciers, by coupling a male and female of different 
SOrts , can breed them, as they express it, to a feather. Hence 
We h ave the various names of croppers, carriers, jacobines, 
pouters, runts, tumblers, turbits, &e. There are many spe- 
Cles °f the wild pigeon differing from the stock-dove. The 
Jf'XG-Dovp, is of the number ; a good deal larger than the 
O'mer, and building its nest with a few dry sticks in the 
°ughs of trees. This seems a bird much fonder of its na- 
1Ve freedom than the former : and attempts have been fre- 
fluently made to render it domestic : but they have hitherto 
P 1 ° Vet * fruitless ; for though their eggs have been batched by 
7 O DO ■' 
