126 THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPER. 



The prominent eyes are apt to give trouble if sawdust is 

 used in the nest-pan as generally recommended, becoming so 

 easily irritated. Mr. Eaton strongly advises that the sawdust 

 be lined with rush-matting steeped in tobacco water, and 

 shaped by pressing into it the bottom of another pan. This 

 plan can be recommended. The eyes are also peculiarly 

 liable to catch cold and discharge. Very often we believe 

 this is caused by the crushing in of the skull already described ; 

 but when the cause is cold, a gentle bathing with warm water, 

 or, still better, warm tea, will give relief. 



Short-faces are particularly liable to what is termed " going 

 light," or wasting away. After all, good feeders are the best 

 preventive against this; but small capsules of cod-liver oil 

 with quinine are also very useful. Plucking the tail sometimes 

 assists, but is not so suitable as for other varieties, owing to 

 the feathers often re-growing of foul colours. With every 

 precaution, the proportion of losses and deaths is greater 

 among this class of pigeons than any other; so that Eaton 

 observes how, when he had hatched a little wonder, he used to 

 sit absorbed in " wonder and astonishment " how he should get 

 it reared. To hatch early is useless unless the weather be 

 particularly favourable, and Short-faces should not therefore be 

 even paired, as a rule, till the early part of April. Artificial 

 warmth may occur to some ; but all experience proves that 

 the delicacy of the bird is far increased by such means ; and 

 that it is far better in the long run to allow access to the open 

 air. If, however, " feather " should regain its place, and judges 

 discourage that tampering with the head which leads to so 

 many evils, no doubt a considerable portion of the special 

 delicacy of the Almond would disappear. 



Almonds too light in colour are sometimes a little oiled 

 before exhibition, and we have seen prizes given to birds dis- 

 gustingly greasy; but such fraud should be easily detected. 

 We have already hinted that much trimming is also too usual. 



