THE PEDIGREE OF THE FANCY. 39 



I felt I was a gone coon. I had to sit down and 

 ask the missus for a wee drap of the cratur to 

 sustain me. But the further perusal of the letter 

 gave me to understand that I had given no offence 

 in refusing to send the birds before receiving 

 the money ; also, that my terms were perfectly 

 straightforward, and that I would doubtless be 

 pleased at having the honour of supplying pigeons 

 to the Queen of England. I need not add I felt 

 myself a fool that day. Of course the address 

 was the cause of the blunder I made, which ad- 

 dress was intended to read Shaw Farm ; and, 

 moreover, there was no mention in the first letter 

 who the pigeons were for." 



It is gratifying to see that the citizens of Lon- 

 don, following the example of the Venetians, 

 are manifesting a growing fondness for Pigeons. 

 Small flocks of motley-coloured birds congregate 

 and breed undisturbed in the heart of the great 

 metropolis. Hovering around our public build- 

 ings, nestling in the intricacies of the architecture, 

 they form a beautiful adornment to our money- 

 making city these comely pensioners on the public 

 bounty. I have seen men of the careworn face 

 and restless eye pause in the courtyard of Guild- 

 hall and watch them. Their anxious features 

 relax into a smile ; they become interested and 



