HOLDING A PIGEON. 35 



night, carefully and quietly, as much in the dark as possible ; 

 done so, such little additions to comfort will generally be 

 accepted, and all will go well enough if care be further taken not 

 to intrude more than absolutely necessary upon those birds which 

 have chosen such an inconveniently public domicile. In fact, 

 in the breeding season only the regular attendant owner or 

 otherwise should enter the loft. If he throws down at first a 

 very few grains of hempseed on each visit, the pigeons will 

 soon get to know him, and allow him or her to come quite 

 close to the nest-pan without rising, unless of a peculiarly wild 

 disposition. Many will allow the nest-pan to be even lifted and 

 examined without leaving, if care is taken never to startle 

 them by too sudden movements. All " wild " catching must be 

 avoided ; when catching is necessary, it should be done with one 

 quiet but sudden dart, which makes no mistake and causes no 

 disturbance. Treated thus, most pigeons soon get not to mind 

 being caught ; but wild attempts which miss, and send all the 

 birds flying round in terror, may cause the loss of a whole 

 round of eggs. Such inconsiderate treatment also causes 

 disease of the heart, and not a few cases of rupture or displace- 

 ment of the intestines. We have often found the last in birds 

 submitted to us for post-mortem examination, and feel sure it 

 has been caused by violent catching. 



It may be well here to explain the proper way of holding a 

 pigeon. It can be in either hand ; but in each case, it should 

 be with the breast in the palm (Fig. 17), the head towards the 

 little finger, the legs going through between the first and second 

 fingers, and the thumb across the back. Held firmly, but lightly, 

 in this position, a bird is helpless, knows it is, and never 

 attempts to escape. It can be examined thus in all parts and 

 in all directions, and soon becomes used to being handled. To 

 say the truth, we believe a great deal of the charm of the 

 pigeon fancy lies in the facility with which a bird can be thus 

 held in the hand and examined. A fowl cannot be so; and 



