86 NATURE'S STORY OF THE YEAR 



pairing. The male homer is passionately fond of 

 home, mate, and young. But, though his mate is 

 a model wife, he is not a model husband, and 

 often, especially if a strong bird, he is likely to 

 bring trouble into the life of any unmated young 

 female pigeon in the loft. But it is the nearly 

 invariable rule for the cock to " feed " only his 

 own hen. This very curious fact indicates that to 

 the wife of the nest this courtesy is reserved, and 

 that the other birds are deemed unworthy of it. 

 These observations do not apply to pouters, runts, 

 and trumpeters, which are said to be " very im- 

 moral." It should be remembered that homers 

 live the most naturally of any except farmhouse 

 pigeons ; and they may, therefore, be supposed to 

 possess the natural instincts of their race in greater 

 perfection than any other fancy breed. 



Some day, when fanciers are tired of fantastic 

 competitions, the moral character of the pigeon 

 will be subjected to careful analysis, and its loves 

 and passions will be minutely tested ; and then 

 the unprejudiced observer may perhaps be told 

 that there is evidence that the bird is naturally a 

 true and ardent lover, and a most faithful mate ; 



