244 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[July 18. i 
handsome. Metrosideroa floribundu's: very effective, covered with its 
bottle-brush-like scarlet blossoms, 4 ft. by 3 ft. Leschenmiltiu Buxterii 
major: 2£ ft. by 2 ft. Stephanotis floribunda: 4 ft. by 2£ ft. Alla- 
manda cathar/ica , Echites atropurpurea: with dark purple bell-shaped 
blossoms,—a plant rarely seen, 4 ft. by 3 ft. 
2nd Prize to Mr. Taylor, gardener to J. Costar, Esq., 
Streatham. There were some good plants in this collection, 
the best were 
Cyrtoeeras reflexa : eleven heads of its Hoya-like blossoms. Alla- 
manda cathartica : very fine. Erica metulmflora bicolor: an immense 
plant covered with bloom, 4 ft. by 4 ft. E. Cavendishii: 3 ft. by 3 ft. 
Epiphyltum Akermannii, &c. 
COLLECTION OP TEN STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
1st Prize to Mr. Williams, gardener to Miss Trail, 
Bromley. Ten plants, all well-grown, and finely-bloomed, 
especially 
Polygala cordata : 3 ft. by 3 ft. Kalosanthes coccinea grnndiflora: 
very large fiowers, highly coloured, 3 ft. by 2^ ft. Pimelea decussata: 
4 ft. by 3 ft. Lesclienaultia biloba superha : with numerous deep blue 
flowers. Phcenocoma prolifern: 2 ft. by 21 ft. Rondeletia speciosa: 21 ft. 
by ft. Pimelea Hendersbnii. 
2 nd Prize to Mr. Croxford, gardener to IP. Barnes, Esq. 
We noted 
Kalosanthes coccinea : Clerodendrum fullax, Allamanda cathartica, 
Aphelexis humilis , as being in first-rate order. 
NEW PLANTS. 
Begonia cinnabarina. Messrs. Henderson, of Pine-apple 
Place, sent again this beautiful plant. The specimen was a 
| fine one, 14 ft. by 14 ft., and was covered with its beautiful 
orange scarlet blossoms. Not new enough to obtain a prize 
under this class. 
Ipomea. limbata. Messrs. Rollison sent a pot full of a 
Convolvulus-looking plant, with the above name attached to it. 
The flowers are about 14 inch across, cup shaded, of a deep 
purple colour edged with white. 
1st Pp.ize was awarded to Mr. May, gardener to Mrs. 
Lawrence, for a very fine plant of the splendid Ixora Javanica. 
2nd Prize to Messrs. Rollison, for then’ Ipomea; for 
Magnolia fragrantissima, a noble plant with one flower upon 
it; and for Tkyrsacanthus bracteolatus, a Justicia-looldngplant 
with dull red flowers. 
2nd Prize also to Mr. Henderson, Wellington Nursery, 
St. John’s AVood, for a small plant of Hemiandra puntjens, 
a pretty pink flowered species. 
3rd Prize to Messrs. Rollison, for a new seedling hybrid 
Heath, named Gefnmifefa elegans ; and to Mr. Glendinning, 
Chiswick, for a new Achimeites, named Tugiuelliana, a very 
pretty variety, with purplish large flowers. 
(To be continued.) 
THE DOMESTIC PIGEON. 
GENERAL HISTORY OF PIGEONS. 
(Continued from p, 19C.) 
The ancients only knew four species of pigeons—1st, the 
ring-dove ; 2nd, the turtle-dove; 3rd, the stock dove; and 
4tli, the dove-house pigeon; at least, the nomenclature of 
Aristotle includes only these. Those who have followed 
him, and Brisson among the rest, have extended this num¬ 
ber to seven. 1st, the Roman pigeon, which furnished them 
with fourteen varieties of the dove-cot pigeon; 2nd, the 
domestic or dove-bouse pigeon; 3rd, the stock-dove; 4tli, the 
rock pigeon ; 5th, the wild pigeon; Oth, the ringdove; 7th, the 
turtle-dove. Buffon has thought that these seven species 
really form but three : the ring-dove, the stock-dove, and the 
turtle-dove. Naturalists have given an invariable rule to 
recognise the true species from the mere varieties ; which is 
to ascertain if the beings which spring from two different 
individuals are fruitful; should they produce again, there is 
no doubt that the father and mother merely formed varieties; 
but if the young ones are mules, the father and mother were 
of two different species. This law of nature they say is so 
general, that its application not only extends to animals, hut 
even to plants. The individuals produced by the canary and 
goldfinch are always unfruitful; the females sometimes lay, 
hut the eggs are always addled. The goldfinch and canary, 
then, constitute two true species. Everybody knows that 
the mule produced by the ass and the horse is unfruitful. 
Plants produced by the fecundity of the stamens of one spe¬ 
cies on the pistil of another species produce seed, hut this 
has never been known to grow. Nature has been so careful 
to maintain the types of every race in all their purity, and 
she will, by every means possible, insure the preservation of 
the existing species; but it appears she will not allow any 
new creations. 
This principle being granted, we will now follow the rea- j 
soiling of Buffon, who adds,— “ We must not then consider 1 
the dove-cot and dove-liouse pigeons—that is to say, the 
great and small domestic pigeons—as two different species, 
hut limit ourselves to calling them two races of one species ; 
one of which is more domesticated and more perfect than 
the other. In the same manner, the stock dove, the rock- 
pigeon, and wild-pigeon, are three nominal species that we 
must reduce to one, which is the stock-dove ; of which the 
two former make but very slight varieties; since, as our no 1 
menclators have acknowledged, these three birds are nearly 
the same size : that they are all migratory, accustomed to 
roost, have the same natural habits, and only differ from 
each other by some tints of colour.” 
According to the opinion of this naturalist, all the nominal 
species of the authors would be reduced to two—the ring¬ 
dove and stock-dove, or wood-pigeon. As the ring-dove does 
not produce with the wood-pigeon, this last would he the 
stock of the dove-cot pigeon; and these would only differ 
more or less in their type according as they had been managed 
by man. He explains this supposition in the following 
manner:—“ The fourth gradation in the order of degenera¬ 
tion includes the large and small dove-cot pigeon, of which 
the tribes, varieties, and blendings, are innumerable, because 
from time immemorial they have been absolutely domestic. 
Man, in perfecting the exterior forms, has, at the same time, 
altered their interior qualities, and radically destroyed every 
inclination for liberty; these birds, the greater part of which 
are larger and handsomer than the common pigeons, have 
also another advantage, that of being more fruitful, larger, 
and better flavoured ; and it is in consequence of all these 
reasons that people have taken so much care of them, 
and sought to multiply them, in spite of the trouble their ! 
training, fecundity, and the success of their numerous pro ' 
ductions must cause them. None of these ever return to 
their natural state." 
(To be continued.) 
DESCRIPTION OF THE DOA’E-COT PIGEONS. 
THIRD RACE. 
(Continued from page 196.) 
Feathered-footed Pigeons : Columba pedibus phimosis .— j 
These birds, formerly so much estimated, are at present, 
with some near varieties, banished by the greater part of 
amateurs. They may he recognised by the feathers more or 
less thick and long, which cover the feet down to the claws; 
and by the absence of other characteristics which would rank 
them in a determinate race. They have the usual forms of 
the mixtures, and like them partake of all colours. 
7. Common Feathered-footed Pigeon : Columba vulgaris 
pedibus plumosis .— Middle size, less feather-footed than the 
Limosin, and not so large; it partakes of all colours common 
to the pigeon, hut, nevertheless, it is generally varied with i 
black or fawn colour. It is very productive, and not par- j 
ticular as to food or lodging, hut equally satisfied with the 
dove-house, dove-cot, stable, or even a simple box. It is 
very common everywhere, but especially in the south of i 
France. The greater part of the dove-oots in the environs \ 
of Lyons are inhabited by this variety. 
8. The Limosin Feathered-footed Pigeon : Columba \ 
lemovicensis pedibus phimosis .— Very large and lengthy, with [ 
long legs; and remarkable for the unusual length of the 
feathers which cover the feet. It is of all colours, with the I 
head and wings white. It is very productive, but bas the 
fault of throwing its eggs out of the nest with the feathers 
on its claws, in consequence of which they are obliged to he 
cut. If they were pulled out they would quickly grow again, 
and the evil would only be obviated for a short time. The 
