70 THE PIGEON-FANCIER. 



clean nest-pan, and when the nest-pan is done 

 with, soak it in water and scrub it before putting 

 it into use again. 



Besides nest-insects there is the " pigeon- 

 louse" a little pest that dwells among the 

 plumage of adult birds. These parasites are a 

 terrible torment when allowed to increase and 

 multiply unchecked. Many a valuable pigeon is 

 done to death by them, and the owner does not 

 know what ails the bird. A gentleman asked me, 

 " Have you any cure for going light ? " I asked 

 to see the bird. The poor creature, a beautiful 

 almond cock, was handed me. Going light ! 

 with a cruel vengeance. But not the disorder 

 commonly so-called. It was dying of utter 

 prostration. Insects coursed over its body like 

 rabbits in a warren, and swarmed it like bees 

 in a hive. It was populous as a great city. It 

 had fought for dear life till it could fight no 

 further, so it gave up the unequal contest and 

 sank exhausted. While I held the bird num- 

 bers of vermin crept off to my hand, hurrying 

 and scurrying over it like pent-up schoolboys 

 just turned loose for a frolic, or rather like rats 

 hastening to desert a sinking ship. 



The fault is, Fanciers do not closely inspect 

 their stock frequently enough and observe their 



