196 



JOUBNA.L OF HOBTIOULTORS AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ March 10, 1870. 



appears by the result to be attained ; and this is the crossbreed 

 patronised by our correspondent " Leicester," who kindly 

 informs me of the fact. The breed is established in Birming- 

 ham and Leicester, and elsewhere, and thought a distinct pure 

 breed of high-flying Tumbler, which evidently it is not, though 

 a famous flying and tumbling Pigeon. 



What the pure Boiler is 1 can only surmise, and I conclude 

 it to be the European Tumbler, a reputed excessive tumbler, 

 often feather-legged, whence the Birmingham Boilers (high- 

 flyers), half-bred, as BtaUd, frequently inherit their muffed 

 legs. 



Our old Sky Tumbler, so far as I can ascertain, is represented 

 by the Macclesfield Tipplers and Tumblers, such as your corre- 

 spondent " Bkown Bed " described. I believe tLia bird to be 

 the Tumbler (English), distinct and pure, and not mixed with 

 any alien breed of Tumbler. It is not the acrobat the Bir- 

 mingham Boiler is, but it can and does tumble occasionally, 

 not roll, quick as lightning, and at long intervals of flight. 

 The choice of the Macclesfield Tumbler and its half brother, 

 the Birmingham Boiler, therefore, is presented to your corre- 

 spondents and readers, according as they fancy the sorts — 

 equally Sky Tumblers, but differing in their acrobatic feats. 



What the Swansea Sky Tumblers are, perhaps Mr. Crook 

 will tell us, if he knows himself. They look like Birming- 

 ham Boilers (high-flying class), from description, save the odd 

 eyes, which I am told appear in a class of high-flyers, the 

 progeny of our English Tumbler and the German Magpie 

 Tumbler, the eye having a coarse ring of cuticle around it, 

 much disliked. 



We must, I think, admit " Old Bob Bidlet's" sort after all, 

 the Macclesfield bird, to be the true blood for Sky Tumblers, 

 and the Birmingham, Leicester, and Swansea breeds but half 

 blood, thongh excellent flying Tumblers. The cross of Boiler 

 and Tumbler, crossed over again with the Tumbler to give three- 

 fourths Tumbler and one-fourth Boiler blood, would be nearer 

 our Tumbler, and perhaps still by the dash of alien blood im- 

 prove the flying and tumbling properties sought by this com- 

 bination. " Wrekis " (page 154) is right in his estimate of 

 flying ; one and a half to three hours is the best of natural fly- 

 ing, longer flights are artificially attained by training, until the 

 birds become habituated to special flights only. 



Neats should be robbed persistently from the end of Septem- 

 ber to the middle of February or March, for good spring and 

 summer progeny. Alternate nest robbery keeps old birds to 

 their young, and does not weaken old birds so much as having 

 another incubation in charge, before prior nestlings are fledged 

 and off their care. Besides, the nestlings thus are better- 

 reared and stronger birds. In animal or vegetable economy 

 excessive breeding or cropping has the like result — deterioration 

 and sterility — the former, though, productive of more mischief 

 than sterility itself — the one lingering and useless, the other 

 at an end for a new start. — Eeadbb. 



PIGEON-KEEPING.— No. 1. 



I must begin with directions for erecting a Pigeon loft. Let 

 it be accepted as a maxim that the front should be facing the 

 south or south-west, the warmest quarters ; but as a room 

 is seldom built for that purpose solely, it may be proper to 

 observe that any place where there is room enough may be 

 made to answer. Some break a hole through the roof of the 

 house, and there lay a platform of the size they think proper ; 

 but, in doing this, particular care must be taken to erect proper 

 fences to keep the Pigeons secure from the cats. Nevertheless, 

 it is essentially necessary to train up a cat on purpose to be kept 

 in the loft; therefore procure a kitten, and as it increases in 

 growth and begins to notice the Pigeons, heat an egg and put 

 it to the cat's nose, and get a dead Pigeon, with which beat 

 the cat soundly. Eepeat this two or three times, and the sight 

 of an egg or dead Pigeon will so intimidate the cat, that it will 

 neither touch the Pigeons nor their eggs, especially if it is well 

 supplied with food. A cat thus broken in will be found exceed- 

 ingly useful in a loft, and will keep it clear of mice and rats, 

 which are very destructive to the Pigeons and their eggs. 



Be careful not to overstock the loft, and always allow at least 

 two holes or breeding places for every pair ; for, if they are 

 cramped for want of room, they will not Bit quietly nor breed 

 so well as when they have a sufficiency of room allowed them. 

 You will find that out of nine pairs of breeding Pigeons you 

 will scarcely raise one from each pair if you keep them crowded 

 in too small a loft ; but in the beginning of September stop 

 them from breeding till the middle of February. 



In erecting the breeding places, let the shelves be at least 

 It inches in breadth, and the distance between shelf and shelf 

 2) inches, so that if you have Pouters at any time they may 

 not be compelled to crouch from want of height, and spoil 

 their carriage by getting an ill habit of playing low ; let par- 

 titions be fixed upon these shelves, leaving the space of 3 feet 

 between each partition, having a board nailed against the 

 front, which serves as a blind on both sides of every partition; 

 and by this method there will be two nests in the length of 

 every 3 feet, and the Pigeon will sit dark and private. Some 

 place a partition in the middle of each nest, which is of service 

 in hindering the yoUDg ones from running to the hen and cool- 

 ing her eggs when she sits at the other side, for in breeding 

 time, when the young ones are about three weeks old, the hen 

 will lay again if a good breeder, and leave the young ones to 

 the care of the cock. 



For the easier cleaning out the nests, some have them buift 

 without any blind, being entirely left open in front ; but as the 

 Pigeons do not like to be disturbed when sitting, and an open- 

 fronted nest is liable to some other inconveniences, I can say 

 nothing in favour of it. Others, again, if the loft will admit of 

 it, strenuously recommend the making of the nests on the floor, 

 especially for the better sort of Pigeons, as being far more con- 

 venient than either of the former two in preventing those 

 accidents which sometimes happen to the youDg Pigeons, by 

 their falling out of their nests, thereby bruising or laming 

 themselves, also as giving them an opportunity of being fed by 

 other Pigeons, as well as their parents, as is sometimes done. 



Let every nest be furnished with an unglazed earthen pan 

 or straw basket, both of which are made and adapted for this 

 u=e, and the size should be in proportion to the Pigeon it is 

 intended for. A pan proper for the Sky Tumbler, or any other 

 small Pigeon, ought to be 3 inches high, and about 8 inches 

 over at the top, Bloping like a wash-hand basin towards the 

 bottom, and these dimensions should vary in proportion to the 

 size of the Pigeons. In fixing the pan or basket iu the breed- 

 ing place, put a small wedge of wood or a brick against the 

 front of it, that the Pigeon may get on and cfi the nest with- 

 out treading on the eggs. 



Wlien the hen has hatched, be careful not to handle the 

 young ones when you want to look at them, for the handling of 

 young Pigeons often brings a scouring upon them. The basket 

 ia preferred by some as being much warmer than the pan, and 

 not so apt to crack the eggs when fresh laid ; but the advocates 

 for the pan say, that these difficulties are easily obviated by a 

 proper supply of clean straw, or frail made soft and short. 

 ! The frail, as it is hollow and lasts a great while, is preferable 

 to the straw. When the young ones are able to get out of their 

 nest, take hold of the ends of the frail and shake off the dung 

 and filth, and the frail will be fit for use again. 



It is proper in this place to inform the reader that gravel 

 should be sifted on the shelves and floor ; the Pigeons are fond 

 of picking it, it is very wholesome for them, gives the loft a 

 more creditable appearance, and makes it much easier to be 

 cleaned than when gravel is not used ; besides, in keeping the 

 Pigeons clean, they are cleared from fleas and other vermin. 



As for the trap, it is always built on a platform or floor of 

 deals on the outside of the house, and is the common passage 

 for the going out and coming in of the Pigeons ; it is made of 

 laths, which should be nailed so closely together as not to 

 permit a mouse to creep through. Some traps are made very 

 small, with a door in the middle and one on each side, which 

 three doors are so contrived that by the pull of a single string 

 all draw np together. This contrivance is chiefly designed to 

 trap stray Pigeons which are lured into it by tempting baits of 

 hempseed, or rape and canary, strewed there for that purpose, 

 and frequently has its desired effect. Some make two small 

 swinging doors on each side of the trap, fixed by wires, called 

 bolting wires, so that any Pigeons may get into the trap but 

 cannot return, also a square hole open at the top, called a 

 tipping hole, which is made to answer the same purpose as the 

 swinging doors ; but, unless the trap is so Bituated as to 

 be quite secure from cats or rats, both these are dangerous 

 contrivances, for either of the last-mentioned animals may by 

 some means as easily enter the trap as the Pigeons can, and 

 if they once find their way in they will make sad devastations 

 among the Pigeons and their eggs. 



Some of these places are built so wide and lofty as to allow 

 of eight or ten people at a time standing or walking about in 

 them, have two or three rows of shelves on every side for the 

 Pigeons to rest upon, and are designed to give room and air to 

 those Pigeons which are not suffered to fly abroad. When 



