Volume 9, Plate XII / Ornithology (Birds)

Biset or Wild Rock-Pigeon

Columba livia

The wild pigeon of sea-coast caverns and precipitous cliffs, abundant about Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, and British coasts to the Orkneys, never perching on trees and forming the original stock of all dove-cot and fancy pigeons. The head and throat are bluish-grey, the neck dark lavender-purple glossed green, the lower back white, and two black bars cross the wings; it breeds prolifically in artificial cotes built for man’s profit.