PIGEON, in ornithology, a genus belonging to the order of passerine. The characters of this genus are these: The bill is straight, and descends towards the point; the nostrils are oblong, and half covered with a soft tumid membrane; and the tongue is entire, i.e., not cloven. There are 40 species, viz.:

1. The cenas, or domestic pigeon, is bluish, with a greenish shining neck; on the back, towards the tail, it is white, with a blackish streak on the point of the wings and tail. It is the rock-dove or wood-pigeon of Ray, and is a bird of Europe. The pigeon lays two eggs, and hatches them every month, for eight or nine months in the year, which, in the space of four years, amounts to about 18000 descendants. They always bill before copulation. Their method of feeding their young is curious; they first macerate pease or other grain for some time in their crop, and then vomit it up into the mouths of the young ones. The male and female sit upon their eggs by turns.

2. The hispanica, with white mealy wax on the bill. It is about double the size of the common pigeon.

3. The dasyus, with rough feathered legs.

4. The gutturosa, or cropper, has a power of inflating its crop till it be as large as the animal's body. It is a native of Arabia Felix.

5. The cucullata has the feathers on the back-part of the head erect and reflected; and the bill is short.

6. The hispida, or rough pigeon, with the small feathers of the back and wings erected. It is a native of the East Indies.

7. The turbita, with the feathers on the breast bent backward, a short bill, and a plain vertex.

8. The laticauda, or broad-tailed pigeon, has an erect open tail consisting of many feathers.

9. The gyratrix turns itself round when flying; it is a little less than the common pigeon.

10. The galeata, with the head and prime feathers of the wings and tail of the same colour, and always different from the rest of the body.

11. The turcica, with red papillous wax. It is a bird of Arabia.

12. The tabellaria has naked eye brows, and broad, white, fleathy wax on the bill. Although this bird be carried to a very great distance from home, it returns with vast speed; and hence the ancients employed it for the purpose of conveying back letters.

13. The montana has naked red orbits, a reddish body, and a yellow belly; the bill and feet are red. It is the mountain-partridge of Ray, and is a native of Jamaica.

14. The leucocephala, with the top of the head and the orbits red, and a blueish body. It is a native of North America.

15. The leucoptera, with naked blue orbits, and the prime wing-feathers white at the points, and the intermediate ones yellowish. It is the Indian turtle of Edwards, and is a native of Asia.

16. The guinea, with naked red orbits, a yellowish bill, triangular white spots on the wings, and the prime wing-feathers black at the points. It is a native of Africa.

17. The coronata has black orbits, a large erect crest on the head, and a blueish body. It is almost as large as a peacock, and is a native of Banda.

18. The striata, with hoary orbits, and the body variegated with black and ash-coloured bands. It is a native of the East Indies.

19. The palumbus, with the prime tail-feathers red behind, the prime wing-feathers edged with white, a white neck, and feathered legs. It is a native of Europe and Asia.

20. The cyanocapula, with a blue head, and a white belt below the eye. It is a native of America.

21. The madagascariensis, with feathered legs, a violet tail, a greenish blue body, and the beak and feet red. It is found in Madagascar.

22. The aenea, with feathered legs, greenish legs and bill, and a brafs-coloured body. It is a native of the Molucca Isles.

23. The viridis, with a brafs-coloured body, a violet belly, and red legs half covered with feathers. It is found at Ambonina.

24. The martinica, with a violet body, a yellowish belly, and the prime wing-feathers red on the inside. It is found in Martinico.

25. The jamaicensis, with blueish prime tail-feathers terminated by a white line. It is found in Jamaica.

26. The Senegalensis, with the three outmost prime tail-feathers white, and the neck spotted with black. It is found in Senegal.

27. The nicobarica has a white tail, a black body, blue prime wing-feathers, a green ish shining back, and long feathers on the neck. It is found in the island of Nicobar near Pegu. 28. The finca is yellowish, and belted with black; the belly is reddish, the wings yellow, the prime wing-feathers black, and a black bill. It is a native of China. 29. The indica, with a purple body, green shoulders, and the top of the head blueish. It is a native of the East Indies. 30. The canadensis, with the prime wing-feathers yellow at the points, and the prime tail-feathers ash-coloured. It is a native of Canada. 31. The afra, with the exterior prime tail-feathers white at the points, and violet spots on the wing-feathers. It is a native of Senegal. 32. The turtur, with the prime tail-feathers white, a greyish back, and a flesh-coloured breast. It is a native of India. 33. The risoria is clay-coloured above, and has a black crescent on the neck. It is a native of India. 34. The poffyrina, with a purple body, and a yellow bill and legs. It inhabits America within the tropics. 35. The minuta is the smallest of all pigeons, is of a dusky colour, with five steel-coloured spots on the wings, and the outmost prime tail-feathers white. It is a native of America. 36. The migratoria has a wedge-shaped tail, red naked orbits, and a reddish breast. This species is very frequent in North America: They live upon the seeds of the elm, oak, wheat, &c. and they winter in Carolina. 37. The carolinensis has a wedge-shaped tail, blue orbits, and a reddish belly. It is a native of America. 38. The amboinensis has a wedge-shaped tail, a reddish body, and a greenish neck. It is found at Amboina. 39. The capensis has a wedge-shaped tail, and the prime wing-feathers red on the interior side. It is found at the Cape of Good Hope. 40. The marginalis has a wedge-shaped tail, a red breast, and the points of the prime tail-feathers black and edged with white.