CHAPTER XVIII 



MANAGEMENT OF PIGEONS 



Almost every child knows something of the lives of the com- 

 mon pigeons that are seen at large in both city and country. 

 Some flocks have owners who take a slight interest in them 

 and make rude provisions for their safety and comfort. Nearly 

 all the country flocks, and many of the city flocks, are in this 

 class. But there are 

 in all large cities, 

 and in some smaller 

 places, many flocks 

 of pigeons which no 

 one claims to own. 

 They build their 

 nests in high cupo- 

 las, in the belfries of 

 churches, on shel- 

 tered ledges under FlG " 2 6 " Sma11 pigeon house and flyl 

 the cornices or other projections of high buildings, and in all 

 sorts of places from which they cannot be easily dislodged. The 

 streets and areas of a great city afford daily food sufficient for 

 vast numbers of birds. The principal part of this is fresh oats 

 scattered by thousands of horses as they take their noon meal 

 from pails or nose bags, and oats that, passing through the horses 

 undigested, are mixed with the dust and dirt of the street. 

 Very large quantities of food also fall on the streets from torn 

 bags or broken boxes as cereal products are carted from place to 



1 The photographs for illustrations in this chapter, when not credited to others, are 

 from Elmer E. Rice, Boston, Massachusetts. 



2 55 



