162 PIGEON-TRAPS BASKETS. 



placed in every nest, apportioned to the size of the 

 pigeons you breed. A PAN of three inches high, 

 eight inches over the top, and sloping to the bottom 

 like a basin, will be of sufficient size for a TUMBLER, 

 or a small pigeon, whilst one of double those dimen- 

 sions will be required for a large RUNT. A brick 

 should always be placed in contiguity to the pan, to 

 enable the cock and hen to alight with greater safety 

 upon the eggs. 



The PIGEON-TRAP, on the house-top, is the well- 

 known contrivance of those London rascals, who lie 

 in wait, as has been said, to entrap the property of 

 others. A trap of another description, and for a 

 very different purpose, is sometimes used; it is an 

 area, on the outside of a building, for the purpose 

 of confining in the air valuable breeds of pigeons 

 which cannot be trusted to flight. Some are erected 

 to the extent of twenty yards long and ten yards in 

 width, with shelves on every side for the perching 

 of the pigeons ; thus they are constantly exercised 

 in the air, retiring at their pleasure to the room or 

 loft within. 



Very convenient BASKETS are now made of the 

 cradle form, with partitions, or separate apartments. 

 They serve for the carriage of pigeons for match- 

 ing, or putting them up to fatten, or for any of the 

 usual purposes. I have seen them lately, in the 

 basket shops on the Greenwich road, two or three 

 miles from London. 



FOOD and WATER should be given in such way, as 

 to be as little as possible contaminated with the ex- 

 crement, or any other impurity. Our pigeons hav- 



