Practical Bird Keeping. — III. Pigeo?is and Doves. 197


edge, through which to pass the string to tie them to the

branches. You need two nests to each pair of birds, as if you

put up one only the young ones may be turned out before the

proper time if the old birds desire to nest again. It may be

urged the second nest only tempts them to start afresh, but I

look on it as the lesser evil.


Plenty of dried heather should be scattered on the floor.

If you have none growing near you it can be bought by the

bundle from Mr. Fred Hiscock, Blashford, Hants. I get some

from him every year and know of no better or more cleanly

nesting material, and it may even be soaked and washed and

used a second time. I also put a small handful in each nest to

start the birds. The heather should be broken into lengths

about five inches long, and after the birds have picked up what

they want from the floor, and the eggs are laid, the remaining

heather should be taken away or they may still go on piling it on

the top of the eggs.


Sometimes the birds will not care for your site of a nest,

but will choose their own, squatting —not perching—in the par¬

ticular branch. When you notice this it is as well to put a nest

pan up in the exact spot, when the birds will probably start at

once; doves are very peculiar in their little ways and cannot be

forced.


I make it a rule always to fasten up my nest pans in the

cover under the glass roof or shelter—not in the open flight, for

it is most essential that whilst the young are in the nest, and

especially when too large to be brooded continually—they are

kept dry. Be sure and put a thick bed of hay or straw under the

nest when the young are hatched, so as to make their first descent

easier or to soften their fall should they tumble out prematurely.

Sometimes you may find a partly-fledged dove on the floor, with

no broken limbs,—the hay has saved that —but in a state of

collapse and cold and limp, its legs stretched, and head dangling

down, perishing for want of its parents’ warmth. It is always

worth while to hold the helpless little thing in your hand for say

half-an-hour or more. If there is just a spark of life left the live

warmth of your hand will bring it round more quickly than any¬

thing. It is wonderful how far gone a bird may be and yet



