68 PIGEONS AND THE PIGEON FANCY; 



up by hand, and many a one, deserted after a week or so 

 by his parents, has flourished, first on chewed cracker, 

 then on grain and water (which they soon learn to take 

 deftly from the human mouth) ; or has been fed literally by 

 hand with soaked peas or corn . A large number of the pig- 

 eons sold for food in the London market have been stuffed 

 by professional feeders, who charge a penny a dozen 

 squabs for feeding them with millet or tares and water 

 from their mouth. The crop is blown full in an instant 

 and a whole meal thus given the astonished bird in almost 

 the twinkling of an eye. The increase in weight of a 

 young pigeon is thus given by an English clergyman. It 

 was a young barb, and weighed at hatching one-half oz. 



The following are its weights on the respective days : 



6th day 4 oz. 



7th " 5f " 



9th 8i " 



12th " 10 " 



18th " 11 " 



20th " llf " 



Imo. 12 J " or a little more 



than the mother. In four or five weeks the bird is flying 

 about, and in six months or so is anxious to find a mate 

 of his own. 



Pigeons are great bathers, and common ones are often 

 seen squatting in the puddles. During a shower, they 

 sprawl about upon the roof, lying upon the side with one 

 wing uplifted, that the drops may fall beneath it ; and they 

 sometimes remain out until completely drenched. 



In their manner of drinking they resemble horses, suck- 

 ing all they wish a hearty pull without raising the 

 head, and, when very thirsty, immersing the beak nearly 

 to the eyes. 



