| 释义 |
rock-pigeon
[rock n.1]
1. A species of dove (Columba livia) inhabiting rocks and believed to be the source of the domestic pigeon; the rock-dove.
1611Cotgr., Colombe rocheraye, a rocke Pigeon. 1668Charleton Onomast. 77 Palumbus Rupicola.., the Rock-Pidgeon. 1704Dict. Rust. (1726) II. N n 4, Pigeons or doves are of various kinds.., as Wood-pigeons, Rock-pigeons [etc.]. 1780G. White Selborne xciv, I readily concur with you in supposing that house-doves are derived from the small blue rock-pigeon. 1802Montagu Ornith. Dict. s.v. Rock-dove, Ornithologists seem to differ in opinion concerning the Rock and Stock Pigeon. 1859Darwin Orig. Spec. i. (ed. 2) 25 The rock-pigeon is of a slaty-blue. 1892A. M. Clerke Fam. Stud. Homer 130 The rock-pigeon, called from its slate-coloured plumage peleia.
2. Anglo-Indian. A sand-grouse.
1885Newton in Encycl. Brit. XIX. 84/2 It may be observed that the ‘Rock-Pigeons’ of Anglo-Indians are Sand-Grouse. 1886Ibid. XXI. 259/1 The expression is decidedly Dove-like,..so that among Anglo-Indians these birds are commonly known as ‘Rock-Pigeons’. |