Vf, PIGEONS AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



CLEANING BIRDS. 



AS sometimes a man sells birds that have been exposed to 

 smoke and soot, it is necessary to clean them, for the 

 man who lives in the country, or in a small town, can't 

 ivali/e how easily birds soil in a city, and is often disposed 

 to ro i. < Irmii the bird or the breeder without stopping to think. 

 ^omrtimt's, really clean birds will have nesting or feeding 

 marks, especially when well along in the breeding season. 



The only way to clean birds is to wash them. Formerly I 

 not believe in this, but I find by sad experience that it is 

 t lie only thing. 



To wash birds, first prepare about three vessels of water? 

 (-"it if possible.) Let the first be warm, the second luke- 

 warm and the third with the chill just taken off. Into each 

 1'iit a little blueing. Take castile soap and make a good lath- 

 er in the first vessel. Take the bird in the left hand and first 

 wet his wings and tail; spread them on the table, one at a 

 time, and gently sponge outward from the body. Don't be 

 afraid of hurting the feather for it will stand plenty of scrub- 

 bing. Xow get the sponge full of good strong suds, or lath- 

 er, and rub down from the head. Rub along the back, down 

 the breast, and also wash the legs and feet. 



Get a good lather all over the bird, for a bird half washed 

 is a sight. 



Now ri.'.se the sponge and put him into the next vessel ; 



going quickly over him to get all traces of soap off; and then 



into the third, into which you can put his entire body, and 



let him struggle and splash. Have a good coarse towel ready, 



vann if possible, and wrap him in it quickly, then as the 



c-1 absorbs the moisture take him out and let him flutter. 



i put in a wire cage close to a good warmth. I usually 



take a wire mating coop, put clean saw-dust in the bottom, 



