CHAP, i.] THE DOVES OF THE CAPITOL. 29 



aquam, hoc dies vii. facito. Postea fabam fresam puram, 

 et far purum facito, et fabae tertia pars ut infervescat, 

 cum far insipiat, puriter facito, et coquito bene, id ubi 

 excoxeris depsito bene, oleo manum unguito, primum 

 pusillum, postea magis depses, oleo tangito depsitoque, 

 dum poteris facere turundas, ex aqua dato, escam tem- 

 perato." " When a Wood Pigeon is fresh caught, first 

 give it roasted beans. From your mouth blow them 

 into its mouth, also water. This do for seven days. 

 Afterwards bruise unmixed beans, and make pure meal, 

 and let a third part be of beans, that it may be hot. 

 When the meal becomes unsavoury, make it up cleanly, 

 and cook it well. When you have thoroughly cooked 

 it, knead it well, grease your hand with oil ; first knead 

 a little, then more ; touch with oil and knead, whilst 

 you shall be able to make it into pellets, give it out of 

 water, mix the food."* 



A charming scrap of evidence of the favour which 

 these birds enjoyed as ornamental pets amongst the 

 ancients, is seen in the famous mosaic in the Hall of 

 the Vase, at the Capitol Museum at Rome. Many a 

 lady wears a reduced copy of this most graceful compo- 

 sition, in the shape of a cameo brooch or bracelet, 

 without being aware of the interesting antiquity of the 

 original design. Murray's excellent " Handbook for 

 Central Italy," p. 433, thus describes it:" 101. The 

 celebrated mosaic of Pliny's Doves, one of the finest 

 and most perfectly preserved specimens of ancient 

 mosaic. It represents four doves drinking, with a 

 beautiful border surrounding the composition. It is 

 supposed to be the mosaic of Sosus, described by Pliny 



* Chap. xc. 



