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 by standing, though not so readily as either blood or meat, it resisting putrefaction for a considerable time; neither will curd much pressed become putrid so soon as either blood or meat."

The young are fed until they have attained nearly their full size and perfect plumage, so that they are capable of fluttering after their parents, and flapping them with their wings until they disgorge the contents of their full crops into the throats of their greedy young.

Four species of the genus Columba inhabit Great Britain. They are:—

1. The Cushat, which is also known as the Quest, Ring Dove, or common Wood Pigeon, the Columba palumbus of ornithologists. This is the largest of our native species, and is readily distinguished by the two white spots on the neck, the white patch on the wings, and the reddish purple colour of the breast and neck. The Cushat is an arboreal species, nesting and roosting in trees, and is not found on the coasts or in rocky treeless districts. This species does not possess the capability of being domesticated; even when eggs of the Cushat have been obtained and hatched under domesticated pigeons, the birds so reared have always betaken themselves to the woods on acquiring their full powers of flight.

2. The Rock Dove, or Blue Rock Dove, the Columba livia of scientific treatises. This is distinguished from the other English species of a blue colour by its having the lower half of the back white. This is the original of our domesticated breeds, and is described at length in the followiug chapter.

3. The Blue-backed or Stock Dove, Columba Ænas. This species was, until the time of Brisson and Tomminck, confounded with the last named, and the title of stock dove was bestowed upon it, as it was supposed to be the origin or wild stock of our domastic breeds. This idea is now known to be erroneous, for the bird is not capable of domestication. The Stock Dove usually breeds in the hollows of decayed trees, sometimes in deserted rabbit burrows; and recently Mr. Harting has ascertained that in some localities it makes its nest on the cliffs of the seacoast, in situations somewhat resembling those selected by the last species.

4. The Turtle Dove, Columba turtur, the smallest of our British species, is a very elegant little bird, of a greyish-brown colour, having on the neck two large black spots, the feathers of which are tipped with white. The Turtle is too delicate to withstand the rigours of our winter, and departs for warmer latitudes in September.

In many of the treatises that have been published on pigeons, the existence of another distinct specics, the Dovehouse Pigeon, Columba affinis, has been mentioned; but there is no doubt that this is a mere variety of the Colimba livia, and that it has no title whatever to be regarded as a distinct species.

Another species of dove is well known in England, though not a native of Britain—namely, the Collared Dove, Columba risoria—characterized by its pale cream colour, which is only varied by a black ring or collar on the neck. This