44 OUT-DOOR PIGEON-HOUSES. [CHAP.II. 



sucked away by the Pigeons, that it no longer toucheth 

 the mouth of the bottle, the confined air exerts its power, 

 and causeth the water to descend 'till they become conti- 

 guous as before." * 



Of the small Pigeon-houses that are affixed to walls, 

 or elevated on poles, there is a considerable variety. 

 Among the former, the best are those which are con- 

 trived on the principle of having two nesting-places 

 accessible to each pair of birds. Sometimes the whim 

 of the architect makes them to represent baby-houses, 

 or mansions adorned with battlements and turrets, and 

 one is amused with the incongruity of seeing a Pigeon 

 peep out at a Gothic window. But strict criticism is 

 not applicable to castles in the air. The great objec- 

 tion to all such Pigeon-houses is, that they are subject 

 to every variation of temperature, are ill sheltered from 

 pelting rains and stormy winds, and allow but little 

 control to be exercised over the birds themselves. The 

 best pole-house with which we are acquainted is that 

 of which a plan and elevation is given in the accom- 

 panying cuts. A pair of birds take possession of the 

 suite of apartments whose landing place is marked A. 

 They will probably pass through the vestibule B when 

 they first bring in straws for a nest, and deposit them 

 in one of the chambers, as c : when the young are a 

 fortnight or three weeks old, the hen will probably 

 leave them mostly to the care of the cock, and make 

 a fresh nest and lay in the opposite apartment D. 

 As soon as the first pair of young are flown, c will 

 be vacant for the hatching of a third brood, and so 

 by shifting alternately from parlour to study, and never 



* Treatise, pp. 8-10. 



