PIGEONS. 73 



a double crust of the like naked fungous substance. 

 The bill or beak is moderately long, and black. 



These birds, though they are carried many miles from 

 the place where they are bred or brought up, or have 

 themselves hatched or bred up any young ones, will im- 

 mediately return home as soon as they are let fly. 



When persons wish to use them for carriers, they 

 should order them after the following manner: Two 

 friends should agree to keep them, one at London and 

 the other at Windsor, or at any other places. He who 

 lives at Windsor must take two or three cocks or hens 

 which were bred at his friend's, at London : and the 

 other, two or three that were bred at Windsor. When 

 the person in London has occasion to send any advice 

 to his friend at Windsor, he must roll up a little piece 

 of paper, and tie it gently with a small piece of string 

 about the pigeon's neck. 



But here you ought to remember, that the pigeons 

 you design to send with letters, must be kept much in 

 the dark, and without meat for eight or ten hours pre- 

 vious to their being turned out ; and then they will rise 

 and turn round till they have found their way, and con- 

 tinue their flight till they reach home. 



With two or three of these pigeons on each side, a 

 correspondence might be carried on in a very expeditious 

 manner. 



VII. The Barbary pigeon, or barb, is another sort, 

 whose bill is, like that of the turbit, short and thick, 

 having a broad and naked circle, of a spongy white sub- 



