n certain characters from the
rock-pigeon, yet that by comparing the several sub-breeds of these two
races, more especially those brought from distant countries, we can
make, between them and the rock-pigeon, an almost perfect series; so
we can in some other cases, but not with all the breeds. Thirdly,
those characters which are mainly distinctive of each breed are in each
eminently variable, for instance, the wattle and length of beak of
the carrier, the shortness of that of the tumbler, and the number of
tail-feathers in the fantail; and the explanation of this fact will be
obvious when we treat of selection. Fourthly, pigeons have been watched
and tended with the utmost care, and loved by many people. They have
been domesticated for thousands of years in several quarters of the
world; the earliest known record of pigeons is in the fifth Aegyptian
dynasty, about 3000 B.C., as was pointed out to me by Professor Lepsius;
but Mr. Birch informs me that pigeons are given in a bill of fare in
the previous dynasty. In the time of the Romans, as we hear from Pliny,
immense prices were given for pigeons; "nay, they are come to this pass,
that they can reckon up their pedigree and race." Pigeons were much
valued by Akber Khan in India, about the year 1600; never less than
20,000 pigeons were taken with the court. "The monarchs of Iran and
Turan sent him some very rare birds;" and, continues the courtly
historian, "His Majesty, by crossing the breeds, which method was never
practised before, has improved them astonishingly." About this same
period the Dutch were as eager about pigeons as were the old Romans. The
paramount importance of these considerations in explaining the immense
amount of variation which pigeons have undergone, will likewise be
obvious when we treat of selection. We shall then, also, see how it is
that the several breeds so often have a somewhat monstrous character.
It is also a most favourable circumstance for the production of distinct
breeds, that male and female pigeons can be easily mated for life; and
thus different breeds can be kept together in the same aviary.

I have discussed the probable origin of domestic pigeons at some,
yet quite insufficient, length; because when I first kept pigeons and
watched the several kinds, well knowing how truly they breed, I
felt fully as much difficulty in believing that since they had been
domesticated they had all proceeded from a common parent, as any
naturalist c