. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 105 



in a corner. Grasp it and hold its wings firmly and it will not 

 struggle. Or you may make a net on the end of a pole, like 

 an ordinary fish landing net, and scoop the bird into it as it 

 flies through the air. 



Question. Suppose I have several squab houses, as you 

 describe, but let all the birds together in one large flying 

 pen, where they can bathe from one large fountain. Answer. 

 This is all right if you do not wish to keep close track of your 

 birds. If the birds can roam from one house to another, 

 there is nothing to prevent a pair from building one nest on 

 one house and then going to another house to build the second 

 nest. 



Question. I believe I will put a strip of wire or piece of 

 wood across the front of each nest box so as to keep each 

 pair more secluded, and to keep the nests from dropping out. 

 Answer. Don't do it. Don't worry about the nests falling 

 out. Build the pigeon-holes perfectly plain. 



Question. How many squabs shall I pack in one box when 

 sending to market? Answer. Having picked out the size 

 of the box you wish, fill it up close with squabs, so they will 

 not " shuck." As to the size of the box, make it as big or 

 little as you please, but do not make it any bigger than one 

 expressman can handle easily. A good size is two feet square 

 and one foot deep. 



Question. Send me two males and ten females. Answer. 

 You must buy your birds in pairs. They pair off in this way, 

 namely, one male to one female. One male does not have 

 two or three females. We have heard pigeon breeders talk 

 of having one cock which would attend two hens,. but never 

 had a case in our experience. 



Question. After plucking the squab, and before sending 

 it to market, do you remove the entrails? Answer. No. 



Question. In order to avoid the trouble of using the 

 mating coop, may I put an equal number of cocks and hens 

 in the same pen? Answer. Yes. 



Question. Can I discover the male and female organs by 

 examination of the birds with a magnifying glass? Answer. 

 No. You can discover them by dissecting the dead bird. 



Question. Suppose I build the nest boxes larger, so as to 

 give a shelf on which the birds can alight? Answer. Don't 

 do it. The bird will fly directly into the nest, or onto the nest 



