THE PIE KIND. 235 



supply it with food when the weather is severe, 

 or the fields are covered with snow. Upon other 

 occasions it may be left to provide for itself; and 

 it generally repays the owner for his protection. 

 The pigeon lays two white eggs, which most 

 usually produce young ones of different sexes. 

 For the laying of each egg, it is necessary to have 

 a particular congress with the male ; and the egg 

 is usually deposited in the afternoon. When the 

 eggs are thus laid, the female, in the space of 

 fifteen days, not including the three days during 

 which she is employed in laying, continues to 

 hatch, relieved at intervals by the male. The 

 turns are usually regulated with great exactness. 

 From three or four o'clock in the evening, till 

 nine the next day, the female continues to sit ; 

 she is then relieved by the male, who takes his 

 place from ten till three, while his mate is feeding 

 abroad. In this manner they sit alternately till 

 the young are excluded. If, during this term, 

 the female delays to return at the expected time, 

 the male follows and drives her to the nest ; and 

 should he in his turn be dilatory, she retaliates 

 with equal severity. 



The young ones when hatched require no food 

 for the three first days, only wanting to be kept 

 warm, which is an employment the female takes 

 entirely upon herself. During this period she 

 never stirs out, except for a few minutes to take 

 a little food. From this they are fed for eight or 

 ten days, with corn or grain of different kinds, 

 which the old ones gather in the fields, and keep 

 treasured up in their crops, from whence they 



