318 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. xv. 



season, and for even less in most parts of the 

 country ; but they are commonly killed when 

 not more, or indeed much less, than six 

 months old : squabs and squeakers are there- 

 fore the only sorts that pay for their breed- 

 ing. 



So extraordinary is their appetite for salt, 

 that if it be spread upon land, they will seek 

 it, or if even sown in drills, they will pick it 

 out ; and if a lump of saltpetre be placed in 

 the pigeon-house, they will be constantly 

 pecking at it. They are also very fond of 

 dried mortar, with which if not supplied, or 

 with some such sort of rubbish, they will 

 commit considerable damage to roofs of 

 houses, by picking it from between the tiles. 

 Another of their inclinations is for the odour 

 of strong aromatics ; among which asafoetida 

 stands so prominently, that if smeared both 

 inside and outside, it will not only retain 

 the inhabitants, but attract many strangers. 



The practice of giving salt and mortar to 

 pigeons is indeed so common, that it is by no 

 means unusual to make up a substance con- 

 sisting of some of the rubbish of an old wall, 

 mixed up with equal quantities of carraway 



