Geophilus Nicobaricus is the Columba Nicobarica of Latham, the C. gallus of Wagler. It inhabits the Nicobar Islands, Java, Sumatra, and many of the Moluccas.
Turtur hunting, the Asiatic pigeon, is somewhat common in the Panjab.
Lophyrus coronatus is the Columba coronata of Latham ; Phasianus cristatus Indicus of Brisson ; Columbi Hocco, Colombe Galline Goura, Temnz. ; great-crowned pigeon, Edw.; and is a species surpassing in size all the other Columbidm. Total length, from 27 to 28 inches. This bird is found in many of the islands of the great Indian group. Not rare in Java and Banda, abundant in New Guinea and in most of the Moluccas. Nest built in trees ; eggs two ; cooing of the male hoarse, accompanied by a noise some what like that of a turkey-cock when strutting. Its food consists of berries, seed, grain, etc. Flavour of the flesh said to be excellent.
Goura coronata, the crowned pigeon, and the Victoria crowned pigeon, G. Victorim, are noble birds of New Guinea and its adjacent islands. G. Victori,T from Jobi Island, has a red-brown breast, grey wing spot, and a beautiful white-tipped vane surmounts the crest. Like the passenger pigeon, and all the fruit-eating pigeons of the genus Car pophaga, they lay but one egg. Recent writers name them Bipositores.
Australia is rich in pigeons ; the most desirable to acclimatize is the wonga-wonga, and the most graceful is the crested dove. The latter breeds very freely in confinement, when suitably accom modated. The wonga-wonga, a shy breeder, is the Leucosarcia picata. The bronze-wing pigeon is Phaps chalcoptera. The crested dove is Ocy phaps lophotes.
Pigeons of Fiji are Chryscena viridis, La yard ; C. luteovirens ; C. victor, and Carpophaga Pacifica.
Pigeon-breeding is quite an oriental art ; and a very good authority on the subject is an Arabic book translated into French in 1805•by De Sacy. A German translation was published by Herr Lceper.
Carrier pigeons have been trained in Europe for many useful purposes, latterly carried by fisher men seawards and liberated, with information as to the captures. They are much used by the Chinese for sending messages from town to town, convey ing the market prices and exchange rates. They fly from Su-chan and Shanghai, 80 miles, in three hours. Two of the leading continental nations
maintain pigeon-breeding establishments to supply fortresses and armies in the field with carrier pigeons. The Greeks employed pigeons for making known the names of victors in the Olympic games ; the Romans likewise used them. From A.D. 1146 to 1256, the date of the Mongol invasion, the Baghdad khalifs used pigeons regularly for the transmission of correspondence. The Turks had carrier pigeons ; and their Sultan Suliman maintained a pigeon post between Constantinople and Ofen, the distance, 170 geographical miles, being accomplished in 24 hours. Egypt, in the 15th century, communications by pigeon were kept up between Cairo and Alexandria, Cairo and Damietta, Damascus and Tripoli. In Arabia and Persia, pigeon posts were found in existence by European travellers as late as the 17th and 18th centuries.
Hindu pandits assert that Siva and his spouse, under the forms and names of Kapot-eswara (pigeon god) and Kapotesi, dwelt at Mecca. The dove was the device of the old Assyrian empire, because, it is supposed, Semiramis was preserved by that bird. The Meccan pigeons--large blue rocks—are held sacred, probably in consequence of the tradi tions of the Arabs about Noah's dove. Some authors declare that, in Mahomed's time, among the idols of the Meccan pantheon, was a pigeon carved in wood, and above it another, which Ali, mounting upon the prophet's shoulder, pulled down. This might have been a Hindu, a Jewish, or a Christian symbol. The Moslems connect the pigeon on two occasions with their faith : when that bird appeared to whisper in Mahomed's ear, and, secondly, during the flight to Medina. They are called Allah's proclaimers,' because their movement when cooing resembles prostration. Almost everywhere the pigeon has entered into the history of religion. At Mecca they are called the doves of the Kaba, and never appear at table. They are said to be remarkable for pro priety when sitting upon the holy building. This maybe a minor miracle.—Eng. Cyc.; Jerdon's Birds of India ; Cat. Birds, Beng. As. Soc.; Cat. Birds, India House Museum ; Burton's Mecca, iii. p. 218.