334 



PIGEONS. 



secure valuable and favourite breeds from being deteriorated through 

 stray birds of no value pairing with them. 



A bolting wire is recommended by some per- 

 sons as a very useful addition both to the loft 

 and the aerie ; it is simple in its construction, 

 yet efficacious, its chief use being to enable 

 birds to get into the loft after the folding-doors 

 of the aerie are shut ; and indeed, if it is adapted 

 to one of the doors of the aerie, it will prove 

 eminently useful. An aperture sufficiently large 

 to admit a pigeon must be made, and a slip of 

 wood, nearly as long as the width of the opening, 

 hung to the upper part of it by two small wire hinges, as shown in 

 the accompanying illustration ; this slip must move very freely, and 

 into it two pieces of wire should be driven, the length of which must 

 l>e regulated by the depth of the opening, taking care that they reach 

 a little below the lower edge of it. The bolting- wire should of course 

 only open inwardly, as the object of it is to let the birds in which 

 may chance to be out late, and to keep them there when they have 

 once entered, as they cannot open it from the inside, try all they 

 may. 



The pigeon call, by which the birds are enticed into their trap, or 

 cote, or house, after they have been indulged with an hour's flight, is 

 a very shrill, loud, and prolonged whistle ; and if some favourite 

 food is given to them, after they have attended to the call, they will 

 by degrees become so well trained to it, as to respond to the signal 

 whenever it is made. They should invariably be trained to come at 

 this call before they are fed, and many persons, ere doling out their 

 daily allowance of food, even when they are all in the loft, summon 

 them together by it. 



FEEDING. 



Pigeons are fond of almost every kind of grain, but old tares are 

 found by experience to be the best for them ; horse beans, particu- 

 larly the smaller sorts, such as small ticks, are considered next to 

 tares in point of nutritive properties; oats, barley, buck-wheat, and 

 peas may be given occasionally, and will be found salutary varieties 

 of diet; buck- wheat, however, must be sparingly given. Rape, 

 hemp, and canary seeds, pigeons are exceedingly fond of, but they 

 must not be given with a liberal hand, and the same must be said 

 with respect to new tares, which should, especially to young birds, 

 be given very sparingly. 



The seed may be scattered on the floor amongst the gravel, although 

 many persons recommend the adoption of little contrivances to put it 

 in, on the score of keeping it cleaner and better. Pigeons must be 

 kept clean. 



Pigeons make sad havoc of roofs and walls, by picking out the 

 mortar, being very fond of lime and salt. To prevent this, take half 

 a peck each of sifted gravel, brick makers' -earth, and old wall rubbish, 

 a pound and a half of cummin-seed, and a quarter of a pound of 



