DISEASE AND FEEDING 97 



fill it up with water, stirring it well. They will 

 drink the water and keep well. I usually sim- 

 plified matters by pouring a strong solution of 

 rock-salt over the grit. Undissolved salt, salt 

 in grain, is not good for them, they eat too 

 much and I have known them to die almost im- 

 mediately. 



Broken oyster shells and grit, the latter with 

 a strong solution of salt poured over it, should 

 be kept in dishes convenient for them. I kept 

 mine in the yard near the feeders. If the con- 

 tents of these dishes become soiled with ma- 

 nure, wash them off and pour fresh salty water 

 over the grit. I kept rock-salt in solution con- 

 stantly on hand, adding more as it dissolved. 



Pigeons never over-eat themselves, and I 

 should as soon stint the food supply of a nurs- 

 ing mother as a breeding pigeon. If you do 

 not give them good and varied food, they have 

 their revenge by giving you empty nests. Pig- 

 eons also never eat unclean food. If swill or 

 scraps are thrown into a pigeon yard the pig- 

 eons will look at it in wonder but never touch 

 it. They are even chary of taking up with a 

 new variety of grain, but they will never touch 

 filth of any kind, while the highest bred chicken 

 will greedily devour the foulest kind of filth 

 from both animals and humans. 



