CHAP. I.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 9 



Her Majesty's poultry-yard, at Windsor, 

 is situated in a small pleasure-garden just 

 opposite Frogmore, and being rather for the 

 amusement of rearing fancy fowls and pigeons 

 in the manner of an aviary, than for breeding 

 them for the table, is only, at present, upon a 

 moderate scale. The hen-house is erected at 

 the back of a high wall, and — as may be 

 seen in the frontispiece — is merely a simple, 

 though fancifully-decorated cottage, display- 

 ing considerable taste in the architect. Over 

 the roof is a well-stocked hexagonal erection 

 for pigeons of various race, which are so 

 familiar as to perch upon the person of her 

 Majesty, who feeds them from her hand ; in 

 the centre of the building is a small room 

 of entrance, on each side of which are the 

 several compartments for the poultry, with a 

 yard divided into separate courts by wire 

 fences, and no birds can have more snug 

 retreats for depositing and sitting upon their 

 eggs — the nests being tastefully formed of 

 moss, giving them the appearance of bowers ; 

 the whole warmed by a heated flue running 

 underneath, and communicating with each 

 cote by gratings. 



