THE PIGEON. 105 



THE PIGEON. 



If possible, capture the pigeons alive and keep them fast- 

 ing a day, that their crops may become empty. Kill them 

 by putting them into a tight box, or jar, which has a 

 closely-fitting lid, with a sponge moistened with chloroform. 

 The "anaesthetic box" described in Wilder and Gage's 

 " Anatomical Technology " is very convenient for killing 

 cats and rabbits as well as pigeons. Having glass sides, 

 this box possesses the further advantage of enabling the 

 student to watch the physiological effects of ether, chloro- 

 form, etc. 



Note the shape of the body as a whole, and its adapta- 

 tion to rapid passage through the air. 



THE HEAD. 



1. The beak consists of the upper and lower mandibles; 

 hold the pigeon's head with one hand, and with the 

 other take hold of the tip of the upper mandible and 

 prove that it is movable. 



2. Raise the upper eyelid, and look in the front angle of 

 the eye for the third eyelid ; seize the edge of this 

 with the forceps, and pull it backward over the eye. 

 Watch the live bird, to see how it winks. 



3. Brush forward the feathers below and back of the eye 

 to find the ear-opening; observe the peculiarities of 

 the feathers which cover this opening. 



4. Examine the nostrils; open the mouth and insert the 

 head of a pin into the nostril, and probe, to discover 

 its place of appearance in the mouth. 



