Well attestedFrom the people of the place
English Carrier
noun · first attested 19th century
The pigeon called Carrier is the one that no longer carries anything.
A tall show pigeon with a long beak and heavy fleshy wattles around the eyes and nostrils.
53.0000°N -1.0000°W · Q21
Record
- Relationship
- From the people of the place
- Confidence
- Well attestedThe place link is the standard scholarly account.
- Attested
- 19th century
- Part of speech
- noun
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
England
- In English
English Carrier
Bred in England from Middle Eastern wattled stock and once used for messages, it was refined for the exhibition bench until its homing ability lapsed; Darwin studied it closely as evidence of what selection can do to a skull. The birds that actually flew wartime dispatches were Racing Homers, a separate breed.
Also pinned to England
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