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away In fummer. I put in a floor about half 

 way down, and they profpered nnuch better. 



A man, who befides excrcifing other trades 

 went about the country to kill rats, and had 

 been employed in that capacity by an uncle 

 of mine, was engaged by a neighbouring gen- 

 tleman to repair fome nefts in his dovecot — the 

 largeft and bed I ever faw. Having a flrong 

 inclination to build a cot and raife a ftock of 

 pigeons, and hearing of this famous dove- 

 cot, I went with the rat-catcher to view it. 

 The nefts were all made of fmall wickers, like 

 bafket-work. Though this was quite a new 

 method to me, I could very eafily conceive it 

 was the beft I had feen: the pigeon in a wild 

 ftate makes her neft fo^ and he will not err 

 much who obferves and takes nature for his 

 guide. However, as this method was expen- 

 five, I varied from the plan, and made mine of 

 clay and laths. I did not inclofe it in front, 

 becaufe I then thought (what I am now con- 

 vinced is true) that pigeons like to be more at 

 liberty than the common form of dovecots al- 

 lows« The one I examined was in the middle 

 of a town, and in the centre of the moftpopU'- 

 Vol. II. K loui 



