200 Practical Bird-Keeping. — III. Pigeons a?id Doves.


but this young bird grew and throve most wonderfully under my

care, which was almost from the time of hatching. It was a

well-feathered bird when I put it back in the nest. As food for

hand-rearing a young bird I should give the following articles,

all moistened and made soft with water : Spratts’ malt milk and

pepsinated puppy meal for the first day or two (both these articles

are in powder form, like flour, and can be mixed to any con¬

sistency), then “soft food” in addition, mixed with biscuit, and,

later still, soaked small seeds.


Doves have the reputation of being quarrelsome and, in

some individual cases it is true, but this is the case witha:// kinds

of birds, their tempers vary just as much as human beings do,

I think the great secret in doves living happily together (where

more than one pair is kept) is to find out which birds will agree,

and having once found a peaceable combination, not to disturb

it. Some time ago I had four pairs of different doves all nesting

in one small aviary ; further, they carried their amiability so far

as to feed each others young ones. On the other hand, if there

is going to be trouble it will show itself at once, and it is better

to separate the birds straight away, for nothing will induce them

to be friendly if they have made up their minds to be the reverse.


I look on doves and pigeons as very pleasant birds to keep,

and their harmonious colouring grows on one very much. Their

different notes, too, are very interesting, for many birds have

varied coos to express their moods.


I have no space to touch on sickness, but with any sick

bird I think heat is most important, for an ailing bird so quickly

grows cold, and for this purpose a stove in the aviary is invalu¬

able. In summer, a flat hot-water bottle in a box with a bed

of hay might be used, or I have sometimes thought a chicken

“ foster-mother ” would make a good “ hospital cage.”


This is only a bare outline as to the keeping of doves;

they are a family of birds long neglected, and there is still very

much to learn about them. There are hundred of kinds never

yet imported, for the dealers get very little encouragement, but

to anyone with enterprise and ample means at their disposal

there is a grand opening to bring some entirely new knowledge

to aviculture, of a very pleasant kind.



