160 CATS CLEANLINESS. 



against strange cats, which will often depopulate a 

 whole dove-house; CATS are yet necessary for the 

 defence of the pigeons against rats and mice, as they 

 will both destroy the birds and suck the eggs ; 

 thence cats of a known good breed should be trained 

 up familiarly with the pigeons. The platform should 

 be painted white, and renewed as the paint wears 

 off, white being a favourite colour with pigeons, and 

 also most conspicuous as a mark to enable them to 

 find their home. The boxes also should be so coloured 

 and renewed as necessary, for which purpose lime 

 and water will be sufficient. 



CLEANLINESS is one of the first and most import- 

 ant considerations; the want of it in a dove-cote 

 will soon render the place a nuisance not to be 

 approached, and the birds, both young and old, will 

 be so covered with vermin, and besmeared with 

 their own excrement, that they can enjoy no health 

 or comfort, and mortality is often so induced. Ours 

 were cleaned daily ; thoroughly once a week, a tub 

 standing at hand for the reception of the dung, the 

 floor covered with sifted gravel, often renewed. 

 Pigeons are exceedingly fond of water, and, having 

 a prescience of rain, will wait its coming until late 

 in the evening, upon the house-top, spreading their 

 wing to receive the refreshing shower. When they 

 are confined in a room, they should be allowed a 

 wide pan of water, to be often renewed as a bath, 

 which cools, refreshes, and assists them to keep 

 their bodies clear of vermin. In the attendance upon 

 pigeons, caution is necessary with respect to their 

 fighting, to which they are more prone than might be 



