192 



Matching — Incubation . 



The WATER-BOTTLE is a large glass bot- 

 tle, with a long neck, holding from one to 

 five gallons, its belly shaped like an egg, 

 that the pigeons may not light and dung 

 upon it. It is placed upon a stand, or three- 

 footed stool, made hollow above, to receive 

 the belly of the bottle, and let the mouth 

 into a small pan beneath : the water will so 

 gradually descend out of the mouth of the 

 bottle as the pigeons drink, and be sweet 

 and clean, and always stop when the sur- 

 face reaches the mouth of the bottle. 



To MATCH or PAIR a cock and hen it is 

 necessary to shut them together, or near 

 and within reach of each other ; and the 

 connection is generally formed in a day or 

 two. Various rules have been laid down, 

 by which to distinguish the cock from the 

 hen pigeon ; but the masculine forwardness 

 and action of the cock, is for the most part 

 distinguishable. 



Incubation. The great increase of do- 

 mestic pigeons does not proceed from the 

 number of eggs laid by them, but from the 



