THE PIGEONS.
CROWNED PIGEON.
CROWNED PIGEON.
CROWNED PIGEON.
The family of Birds to which the Pigeons and the Doves belong is usually classed by itself, as forming a link between two other families, and as these are important divisions, it will be well to keep in mind the meaning of their Latin names. The Pigeons and Doves belong to the family of Columbidae, which is derived from the Latin word columba, meaning a dove; and this forms the division between the domestic or Gallinaceous family, that we have just studied, and the family of Passerines, or Sparrows; the name of this family being derived from the Latin word passer, meaning a sparrow.
It would be useless to attempt to describe all the different kinds of Pigeons in this space, but we can mention the leading groups, with their distinguishing features.
The Crowned Pigeon is one of the handsomest. This is usually found in New Guinea. The plumage of this Bird is a beautiful greyish blue, with markings of dark blue and white, and its head is crowned with a plume of long tapering feathers.
The Fan-tailed Pigeon is remarkable for its tail, which is very large and raised like that of a Peacock when spread out to its handsomest extent.
The Nun Pigeon is recognized by a kind of hood formed of raised feathers, which covers the back of the head and neck, and to which it owes its name.
The Wheeling Pigeon describes circles, like Birds of Prey, when it is flying. This Bird has an unpleasant disposition, and a bad habit of annoying other Pigeons. It should be excluded from Pigeon-houses.
The Tumbler Pigeon owes its name to its curious manner of flying. It has a habit, after it has risen to a certain height, of throwing five or six summersaults.
The Pouter Pigeon owes its name to the faculty which it possesses of inflating its crop to an immense size by the introduction of air. This peculiarity often destroys them; indeed, when feeding their young, they find so much difficulty in causing the seeds which they have swallowed to reascend into their beaks, that they contract a malady which is frequently fatal.
The Roman Pigeons, thus named because they are very common in Italy, are easily recognized from the circle of red which surrounds their eyes.
The Swift Pigeon is of small size, its flight is light and rapid.
The Carrier Pigeons belong to this race. They are celebrated for their attachment to their birthplace, or to the spot that contains their young, and for the intelligence which enables them to regain their native countries from whatever distance. Transport them miles from their homes, even in a well-closed basket, then give them their liberty, and they will return, without the slightest hesitation, to the place from which they were taken. This valuable faculty has long been utilized, especially in the East.
The Romans made use of Pigeons as messengers. Pliny says that this means was employed by Brutus and Hirtius to concert together during thesiege of a town by Mark Antony. At the siege of Leyden, in 1574, the Prince of Orange employed Carrier Pigeons to carry on a correspondence with the besieged town, which he succeeded in freeing. The Prince, to mark his acknowledgment of the services rendered by these wise Birds,wished them to be fed with strawberries, and their bodies to be embalmed after death.
We learn from Pierre Belon, the Naturalist, that in his time navigators from Egypt and Cyprus took Pigeons upon their galleys, and liberated them when they had arrived at the port of destination, in order to announce to their families their safe journey. In our century they have been made use of for similar purposes.