50 
COMMON PIGEONS. 
capricious in its sojourn therein, and, when it betakes itself to a state of 
complete independence, exhibits much less dislike to the neighborhood of 
man than is shown by the rock dove, under similar circumstances. 
It is to be remarked that these two species are the only kinds of domes¬ 
tic pigeon which ever desert the homes provided for them, and betake them¬ 
selves to the wilderness. The fancy pigeons, the truly tame pigeons, do 
not reassume, or rather adopt, wild habits, as has been asserted; when 
they lose their way, or escape from a new, and therefore a distasteful home, 
they do not betake themselves to the rocks, or to the ruins, but enter some 
trap or loft, or join some other flock of tame pigeons. The pigeons which 
do choose to return to a wild condition are always either blue rocks or dove- 
house pigeons, and not pouters, fantails, or runts; whereas the blue rocks 
do not voluntarily take up their home in an ordinary pigeon-loft, but, on the 
DOVEIIOUSE PIGEON. 
contrary, will escape from one that is not to their liking, or is too much 
interfered with, even if hatched and brought up there by parents of a tamer 
breed. 
The common pigeon requires very little care, and is exceedingly^prolific, 
breeding seven or eight times a year. The female pigeon lays two eggs, 
which produce generally a male and a female. It is pleasing to see how 
eager the male is to sit upon the eggs, in order that his mate may rest and 
feed herself. The young ones, when hatched, require no food for the first 
three days, warmth being their only nourishment; they are then fed from 
the crop of their mother, who has the power of forcing up the half-digested 
peas which she has swallowed, to give them to her young. The young 
