CHAP. XV.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 317 



of all sizes, regularly fed by himself, con- 

 sumed, in one week, five pecks of the smallest 

 beans and ten quarts of seeds ; the old stock 

 consuming about half the quantity :" which 

 shows the consumption of a pair to be only 

 the ninth part of a pint ; and the cost of 

 feeding, for the time and at the price of corn 

 above stated, to be not more than one shilling 

 and five pence. It is, indeed, not a little sin- 

 gular as displaying the incaution of Moubray 

 and his copiers : for Vancouver, the author 

 of the ' Devon Survey,' has actually doubled 

 the amount of his estimate ; but this, although 

 evidently an error in calculation, they have 

 transcribed without examination. We should 

 not, however, have alluded to the subject, 

 were it not proper to disabuse the public 

 respecting a prejudice against these birds 

 which has been put forth without contradic- 

 tion, and very generally adopted. 



We must, however, confess that, were pi- 

 geons to be kept the whole year round upon 

 grain, let its price be what it may, they cer- 

 tainly would not pay for their keep, for they 

 may be generally bought in the markets of 

 London at from 9c?. to IM. according to the 



