150 SOFT MEAT KINDS OF FOOD. 



sity of recourse to the old housewife's instrument, 

 the hollow reed. 



SOFT MEAT is a sort of milky fluid or pap secreted 

 in the craw of pigeons, by the wise providence of 

 nature, against the time when it will be wanted for 

 the nourishment of their young. In all probability, 

 from instinct, the pigeons eat a greater quantity at 

 this time, and the grain goes through a certain pro- 

 cess in their crops, which produces the soft meat or 

 pap in question. This they have the power of 

 throwing up at will ; and, in feeding, they inject it 

 from their own bills into those of the young ones, 

 the bills of which are taken into their own. This 

 kind of feeding continues six or seven days, when 

 the old ones begin to mix some harder food with it, 

 until at length they feed with whole grain. When 

 the time approaches for the hen to lay, the cock is 

 often seen driving her from place to place, not suf- 

 fering her to rest any where but in her nest, appa- 

 rently from an instinctive apprehension that she may 

 drop her egg in an improper place. 



FOOD. Pigeons are entirely granivorous, and 

 very delicate and cleanly in their diet ; they 

 will sometimes eat green vegetables, in particular 

 warm salads, and are extremely fond of seeds. 

 TARES, and the SMALLEST kind of HORSE BEANS, 

 commonly called pigeon beans, are both the best 

 and cheapest food for pigeons, but the pulse should 

 always be old, that is to say, of the previous year ; 

 as the new will scour pigeons, as well as any other 

 kind of live stock. SEEDS are occasionally given to 



