150 BISET OR WILD ROCK-PIGEON. 



arid in a state of fermentation, is injurious to the 

 health of the birds, and also prevents them making 

 use of the lower tiers of nest-holes. In point of si- 

 tuation, a gentle acclivity, exposed to the south, and 

 open to the rays of the sun, in which the pigeon de- 

 lights to bask and repose, is the most favourable. 

 It ought not to be too far removed from a plentiful 

 supply of water, as the pigeon is a great and frequent 

 drinker ; neither too closely surrounded by trees, as, 

 when near, they interfere with the free egress and 

 ingress of the birds, and are supposed to be disagree- 

 able to them, from the noise they make in winds 

 and storms. The pigeon being a bird of a timid na- 

 ture, and easily alarmed, the house should stand at 

 such a distance from all the other offices, as not to 

 be incommoded by any noise or movements about 

 them. From a pigeon-house of tolerable dimensions, 

 a produce of many dozens of young may annually be 

 procured, and that for nearly eight months out of 

 the twelve, as they are in full breeding from March 

 till the end of May, and again from August till the 

 close of November ; and all that is required to keep 

 up the breeding stock, is to permit a limited portion 

 of the latter hatchings to escape. 



In its natural state, the plumage of the pigeon is 

 as follows : Bill blackish-brown ; the nostril mem- 

 brane red, sprinkled, as it were, with a white powder. 

 The hides pale reddish-orange. The head and throat 

 are bluish-gray. The sides of the neck and upper 

 part of the breast are dark la vender- purple, glossed 



