ORIENTAL FEILL PIGEONS. 



my great astonishment, the older bird began 

 that peculiar movement known to all Pigeon 

 breeders — a-ducking and a-jerking of the head, 

 and straight away fed the squeaker ; and, 

 moreover, brought him up until he could do for 

 himself. This fact reminded me forcibly of 

 Darwin's theorv in animal life of " the survival 

 of the fittest.'"' 



NEST BOXES AND BASKETS. 



For breeding boxes I have found nothing 

 better than such as are used for packing New 

 Zealand butter and margarine in . They are about 

 13 inches square . Use two of these for each pair 

 of birds. Put them mouth to mouth about nine 

 inches apart. Use eight-inch earthenware nest 

 pans and put one in each box. I place a little 

 rough cut sawdust at the bottom, and on the top 

 of this a layer of oat straw for preference, cut 

 into six or seven inch lengths, and well worked 

 between your fingers to take out the stiffness . 



Just a few hints as to showing. It is of the 

 highest importance that you should put down 

 your birds in the best possible condition, es- 

 pecially in a Pigeon like the Oriental Frill. 

 To my mind, nothing looks so wretched as one 

 shown in dirty condition. Use well made 

 baskets, with the partitions the same width 

 at both ends, so that the bird can comfortably 

 turn round if he wishes, which on a long railway 

 journey adds much to his comfort. I have 



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