PIGEON, a general name applied to any species of bird of the family Cotunibidte, or col lectively to the entire group, or in an even wider sense to the whole order Columba.. No sharp distinction can be drawn between the usage of the words dove and pigeon for birds of this group; though in a general way the former is applied to the smaller and more delicate, the latter to larger and more robust forms. In the articles CoLUMLat and COLUMIiIDE will be found some account of the characteristics, distribu tion and chief groups of the pigeons, and under Dova descriptions of a few representatives of the smaller wild species. This article will be confined to a discussion of the origin, varieties and care of the domestic pigeons, and a brief account of a few of the native wild species to which the name ((pigeon"' most properly applies. Accepting the conclusions of Darwin, who in vestigated the subject extensively, ornithologists and fanciers trace the origin of all the numer ous varieties of domestic pigeons to the com mon rock-pigeon (Columba hvia) of Europe and North Africa. The ease with which many wild species of pigeons hybridize and produce fertile offspring is, however, well known; and there is much reason to believe that the strain of the domestic pigeons is not entirely pure, but has been mixed from time to time with certain Asiatic species, and especially such true rock-pigeons as C. leuconota and C. sntermedia. However, all of these forms are very closely related, differing in little besides color; and there is no reason to doubt that C. livia is the predominant ancestral species.
Many individuals of the common dovecot pigeon — those of a grayish-blue color with white lower backs and two black wing-bars very closely resemble the wild rock-pigeon. In the wild state the rock-pigeon inhabits the rocky sea coasts and neighboring islands of Europe and North Africa, but is rare inland; though in many places flocks of domestic pigeons have re verted to the feral state and have reacquired most of the characteristics of their wild an cestors. Indeed several of the so-called species found in various parts of Europe, Asia and Egypt are considered by Darwin to have thus originated. Like their domesticated descend ants, wild rock-pigeons are gregarious, and live in communities among the caves and fis sures of inaccessible cliffs, where they associate with cormorants and other sea-birds. In the early morning they fly in flocks to the cultivated districts for the purpose of feeding upon grains and seeds. They also relish snails, insects and fruits. Except when with young, whose needs force them to return to the nesting site more frequently, they remain in the fields throughout the day. These pigeons are little, if at all, migratory, and during the winter congregate in larger flocks which search the farming districts for food. About April a simple nest of grass and twigs is constructed on a rock-ledge and two eggs are laid. After the young are able to leave the nest a second and perhaps a third pair is raised. They are strictly monogamous, and are said to mate for life. In movements, voice and other ordinary habits they resemble the common domestic pigeon.
Rock-pigeons take very kindly to domestica tion, and they, and perhaps closely related spe cies, have been confined and bred for an im memorable period, not alone because of the very excellent quality of their flesh as food, but also as carriers of messages, and because of the in terest attached to the remarkable and numerous varieties to which they give origin. It is, how ever, probable that pigeons were first domesti cated solely for the purpose of supplying the table; at least the earliest known record, more than 3000 ac., signifies their use for this pur pose by the Egyptians. Several hundred dis tinctive varieties, of which about 150 are named and recognized by fanciers, have been produced under domestication, some of them differing but little, others to a marvelous degree, from the wild stock; many, indeed,rare almost monstrous. Concerning the origin of many of the principal types of domestic pigeons, very little is known historically. Some of them, as the carriers or homing-pigeons, are certainly very ancient, and the Romans, who valued pigeons highly, had many races, the pedigrees of which were care fully recorded. Darwin based his conclusion that all this multitude of divergent forms could be traced back to a common ancestry in the rock-pigeon not only on the well-known facts of the ease with which the rock-pigeon can be domesticated, the resemblance in appearance, habits and voice between the common domestic pigeon and the wild rock-dove, and the geo graphical distribution of the latter, but also upon a most painstaking anatomical study of many varieties and of the facts of breeding and reversion. He noticed that triple crosses
between distinct varieties of no matter what color were very likely to produce in the third generation a color pattern precisely like that of the wild race. The remarkable persistence of the white wings, which breeders find to be one of the most difficult features to breed out of fancy-colored strains, points to C. of which this feature is a characteristic. Darwin's views have been generally accepted, as has his classification of the numerous varieties. Four principal groups are recognized: (1) The pouters, forming a very distinct race especially characterized by the enormously enlarged in flatable oesophagus and crop; (2) a group in which the beak is generally long (short in the barbs), the skin about the eyes and the base of the beak is rough, swollen and wattled, and the feet are large; in this group are included the various kinds of carriers, ds, runts and barbs; (3) a group in which the is short and the naked skin about the eyes but little developed; Darwin considers this an artificial group and includes in it the fantails, owls and turbits, tumblers, frill-backs and jacobins, each representing a well-marked sub-group; (4) this group includes a great number of races more or less closely resembling the rock-pigeon, from which they have departed much less widely, and are consequently less highly valued by fan ciers than the more strikingly modified races of the preceding groups. Among those which Darwin considers as belonging here are the trumpeters, laughers, nuns, spots, swallows and common dovecot pigeons, of which the latter stands nearest to the ancestral type. Next to the pouter the fantail is the most extreme modi fication, for its tail contains up to 36 or even 42 quill feathers, in place of the 12 originally present Concerning the care of pigeons a few gen eral principles may be stated and the novice will avoid many difficulties by recalling the habits of the wild birds and not running counter to na ture. In domestication a dovecote or loft is substituted for the rocky caverns of their native isles, but pigeons should have as much free dom as possible, with plenty of fresh air, light, clean food and water, and a clean and roomy shelter from the extremes of weather. Dirty, crowded quarters engender parasites; sour food and lack of air and light cause various dis eases; lack of suitable shelter from the weather proves especially fatal to the young birds and nestlings. If possible, pigeons should be given the utmost freedom to fly and return at will; but, if for any reason this is inexpedient, a large flying-cage in the open air should be provided. The gregarious instinct is so strong in pigeons that birds continually desert a small flock in order to join a large one in the same neighbor hood. For housing pigeons the loft is prefer able to the cot or small house, for very many reasons. It should be a large, airy, well-lighted room, with suitable means for the ingress and egress of the pigeons, and capable of being divided in order to permit of the separation of the different races and sexes when desired. Easily cleaned nesting and roosting boxes may he arranged in shelves on the walls and dur ing the breeding period should be provided with nesting saucers or pans, some clean, soft hay, and kept scrupulously clean. Pigeons do not dust, but are very fond of bathing, for which ample facilities should always be provided. The food best adapted to the hardier is not always suitable to the more delicate varieties, which require a more dainty diet; but in general crushed Indian corn, wheat, peas and beans are the staples, the legumes especially for breeding birds. If they have no opportunity to fly in search of insects and snails a few of these or of earthworms should be occasionally added. A little salt, an abundance of ground oyster-shells or other calcareous material, gravel and drink ing water are required. For the special require ments of the fancy varieties reference must be made to some of the special works on pigeon breeding.