WOOD AND WASTE 183 



taken from the bush at a later date, was 

 still in his artificial nest in my working 

 room, and was not then fit to fly. Their 

 first meal is usually made a little after our 

 seven o'clock breakfast, and the second after 

 lunch, or should the household be away, 

 about afternoon tea time. In the event of 

 prolonged absence, we would find the birds 

 waiting for us in the drawing-room or one 

 of the bedrooms off the verandah, and would 

 get a friendly whistle and a shake of the 

 wings as welcome. But although perfectly 

 clean in their habits, we had to discourage 

 this custom, as "Pidgy" one day in an at- 

 tempted exit hurt himself against a closed 

 window.* By the last week in January 

 *'Kuku" and "Pidgy" were in magnificent 

 colouring, their plumage perfect, and them- 

 selves very fit and strong. After that 

 moulting began and the feathers gradually 



Note. — While perched on trees, pigeons during showery 

 weather wash themselves by turning their wings, one at a time, 

 upside down, and thus enabling the rain drops to fall into an 

 almost flat inner surface of feather. To assist this operation, 

 the bird leans very much over to the side, and the extended wing 

 held over his head appears as if dislocated or broken, so com- 

 pletely is it reversed and supple. 



