Teachers' Leaflet. 493 



but later the " dove cotes " have come into general use, as this method 

 is more satisfactory to both people and birds. There are certain rules to 

 be followed in building an apartment house for pigeons. It must be 

 high enough from the ground to keep the nests safe from rats and weasels ; 

 each little compartment should be at least 16 inches wide and a foot 

 from front to back and comfortably high ; the door should be at one side 

 of the compartment so that the nest may be completely hidden ; in front 

 of each door must be the little shelf to act as a balcony on which the 

 parent bird that is taking a rest may sit and coo to relieve the tiresome 

 task of the one which is keeping the eggs warm. The cote should be 

 painted white, as pigeons like that color best. 



LESSON LIL 



NESTING HABITS OF PIGEONS. 



Purpose. — To call the attention of the pupils to the following points: 

 The method of nest building; the number of eggs laid, their size and 

 color ; the length of the incubation period. Note whether both parents sit 

 on the eggs and feed the young. Note the devotion of the parents to 

 each other ; the length of time required for the young to mature ; how 

 many broods are raised each year. 



Some breeds of pigeons mate for life. Two eggs are laid for a 

 setting, and ninety per cent, of these hatch into a male and a female, and 

 these are likely to mate unless interfered with. The happy domestic life 

 of the dove cote has been celebrated since the time of Pliny. The parents 

 are very devoted to each other and are both very devoted to the young; 

 they share equally the hardships of sitting on the eggs ; and feeding, the 

 young. Li the crops of both parents is secreted a cheesy substance known 

 as " pigeon's milk." This food is given to the squabs for about five days 

 and is then replaced by grain which is softened in the parents' stomachs 

 until the young are old enough to feed themselves. All this food is very 

 nourishing and the squabs get vet-y fat, often weighing more than the 

 parents when they are ready to leave the nest. 



LESSON Lin. 



THE ENEMIES OF PIGEONS. 



Purpose. — To teach children ho'w to protect the pigeons. 



All of the creatures, which feed upon chickens will take pigeons if 

 they can get them; these are weasels, hawks, owls, and especially/ the 

 crows when they can get at the young pigeons ; but perhaps the most 

 common enemy is the rat. The dove-cotes must be mounted on a standard 

 which the rat cannot climb. For interesting account of the rat see "Amer- 



