THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 239 



"Our next operation was to fix up for the stool 

 pigeon. A mortised stake about tliree feet long, 

 have a pole about five feet long with a round stool 

 nailed to one end and flattened, so as to work easily 

 on a pin, which went through the stake at the slot, 

 and through the pin, aljout two-thirds of the distance 

 from the end next to the foot. A strong cord was 

 tied around it, and strung through a small auger hole 

 above the slot, the other end was then taken and car- 

 ried to the bough house, where the man inside oper- 

 ated it. The stool pigeon was then taken and blinded 

 by taking a silk thread and a needle to puncture the 

 lower eye lid, and install the thread. After getting the 

 thread through both lower lids, it was taken over the 

 top of the pigeon's head and tied and hidden away in 

 the feathers of the head — then the boots wxre put on 

 his feet and carried out to the stool. The boots con- 

 sisted of a leather strap, just wide enough to cut a 

 slit in it, and put the other end through it, then 

 slip the pigeon's feet into the loop, draw it tight, and 

 fasten it to the stool — so that the pigeon remained in a 

 sitting position. The stool consisted of a round 

 board, about four inches wide and covered w^ith cloth 

 and padded underneath, to protect the pigeon when 

 being in use. Two staples were driven in the stool to 

 fasten the boots to. 



"Now we go back to the bough house, and complete 

 the arrangements by taking two more pigeons, blind- 

 ing them as we did the stool ; they are not booted. 

 A light line is tied to one leg of each pigeon, and we 



