316 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. xv. 



proper consideration take in feeding them, 

 they will necessarily pick up something from 

 the surrounding grounds of those who are not 

 their owners. 



They are, indeed, great devourers of grain : 

 though not to the extent of the statement in the 

 survey of Devon, and copied by many of the 

 writers on poultry, in which it is said, " that, 

 with what they carry home to their young, 

 each pair will daily consume one pint of corn ; 

 and, as it is supposed there are in England 

 and Wales 20,000 dove-houses, averaging- 

 each 100 pair of old pigeons, these — taking 

 the estimate at only 1,125,000 pair, and 

 assuming them only to subsist upon corn 

 for 140 days in the year — will amount to 

 157,500,000 pints, or 4,921,875 Winchester 

 bushels : equal, at the price of six shillings 

 per bushel, to 1,476,562/. 10s., which would 

 bring the cost of each pair for their feeding 

 during twenty weeks, to no less than tioenty- 

 six shillings and sixpence ! 



Now, Moubray, who first copied this ab- 

 surd account, ought to have known better ; 

 for he states, in his memoranda, " that 15 

 pairs of old pigeons, and 140 squeakers, 



