24 FANCY PIGEONS. 



to find out the most suitable tools for the purpose. These 

 are, a triangular steel scraper (Fig. 8), as used by shipwrights, 

 and a steel hand shovel (Fig. 9). The foiTner is good for all 

 corner places, and the latter for broad surfaces, such as the 

 floors and resting boards in the flights. When held at the 

 proper angle, the shovel removes everything opposed to it as 

 fast as one can walk along. It should be of the best steel, 

 and kept sharp; those made of sheet iron wear but a short 

 time. A stable broom set with stiff Brazil fibre is also neces- 



FiG. 9. — Steel Shovel. 



sary for sweeping all up, when the scraper and shovel have 

 done their part in freeing the dung from the wood. I have 

 given up using sawdust on the floors for some time, not that 

 I disapprove of it, but merely because I could not procure it 

 conveniently. The labour in cleaning out the houses is as 

 great when sawdust is used as when it is not, for the 

 renewing and riddling of it takes up much time ; if the 

 floors are scraped daily the dung has no time to harden and 

 adhere to the wood, when it become more difficult to remove. 



Covering for Floors of Flights. 



The best covering for the floors of outside flights is small 



