PIGEONS 



287 



be too low; then it must have several openings 

 to the south and east ; it should not be made 

 wholly of wood, nor should it be difficult of 

 access to the owner. It is of little consequence 

 whether it be raised in a corner of the garden, 

 or on the roof, or in some angle of the house. 

 A cement floor, partitions also 

 of cement, and an absolutely 

 tight roof cannot be too 

 urgently recommended for a 

 dovecote of any dimensions. 

 The floor should be covered 

 with a layer of sand (not ton 

 fine), and if there are man\ 

 pigeons in the same compart- 

 ment, partitions must be so 

 arranged as to prevent couples 

 from fighting before the open- 

 ings of these compartments. 

 The older the pigeons grow the 

 less chance there is of such 

 combats. 



As for nests, they can be 

 made of all sorts of artificial 

 things, and are quite cheap. 

 In a good pigeon house it 

 should be easy to remove 

 nests, perches, doors, etc., in 

 order to make a thorough 

 cleaning every fortnight and 

 so prevent vermin, which do 

 so much harm. The parti- 

 tions should be whitewashed 

 now and then, and frequent 

 use should be made of some 

 insecticide powder. 



As for food, every breeder 

 has his own opinion. Beans, 

 peas, corn, a mi.xed diet of 

 potatoes, oats, barley, and, for 

 a dainty, hemp seed, each and all give variety 

 to pigeon food ; but the pigeon himself will peck 

 at many other things when he flies away, and 

 will be the better for it. In any case it is neces- 

 sary to be regular in the distribution of food, 

 and to renew daily the ample supply of drinking 

 water. Nor should baths be forgotten, without 

 which no healthy pigeon will ever feel at home. 



The male bird builds the nest himself, and 

 when the female has laid two eggs she begins 

 to brood. The male takes her place now and 

 then, but not for long. The first young pigeon 

 issues from the egg from the sixteenth to the 

 nineteenth day, completely blind and helpless. 



.\ I'liKM K 111- riu; (;.\rii7:n 



Its first food is a sort of broth secreted in the 

 crop of its parents ; and it requires great care, 

 as much from the male and female birds as 

 from the owners. 



IV. Some Species 



Before naming some of the more beautiful 

 species presented to us by the rich family of 



