junior IRatutalist /IftontbliP 



Published by the College of Agriculture of Cornell 

 University, from October to May, and entered at 

 Ithaca as second-class matter. L. H. Bailey, Director 



ALICE G. McCLOSKEY, Editor 



New Series. Vol. 2. ITHACA, N. Y., February, 1906. 



No. 5 



Chill airs and wintry winds ! My ear 

 Has grown familiar with your song; 



I hear it in the opening year, 

 I listen, and it cheers me long. 



— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 



SOMETHING ABOUT PIGEONS 



A long time ago in a far away 

 coimtry I became acquainted with 

 some pigeons. I was a stranger in a 

 strange land and these 'friendly little 

 birds were in a garden where I was 

 being served with refreshments. I had 

 ordered cake and coffee. The pigeons 

 seemed to understand that something 

 of interest to them was about to hap- 

 pen, and they approached my table 

 with as much self-possession as if they 

 were invited guests. Two of them 

 perched on the back of my chair, and 

 one, more courageous than the rest, 

 took a place on the table. When the 

 cake was brought, this bold little 

 pigeon flew away for a minute, but 

 he soon returned, and, without waiting 

 to find out whether I would share my 

 luncheon with him, he immediately 

 began to eat the cake. The two that 

 were on my chair joined him. Being a polite hostess on this occasion, 1 

 thought I would wait until my guests were well served before I took my 

 share of refreshment. The pigeons, however, seemed to forget that I 

 was there, and pretty soon my cake disappeared. I forgave the small 

 visitors because their pleasant company more than made up for the loss 

 of the cake. 



As I watched the pigeons, it occurred to me that when I reached 

 home I would encourage our Junior Naturalists to have a few of these 

 tame birds for pets, I wish you would think about this and perhaps \o\.\ 



379 



Fig. I. — Pigeons are interesting play- 

 mates. 



