146 FOOD. [CHAP. ir. 



or three spots in our old pastures and park. What they 

 get there I have never been able to ascertain, as there 

 seem to be no available seeds of any kind to be had in 

 these places. It is only for about a fortnight that the 

 Pigeons frequent them. 



" Although our domestic Pigeons usually make use 

 of only a moderate quantity of small sticks or straws in 

 constructing their nests, yet there are occasionally a few 

 curious exceptions. Last year I had a pair that took a 

 fancy to build between some hurdles placed upright 

 as a fence. Not being able to make a firm foundation, 

 they first collected an immense mass of straw and other 

 material, to fill up the space between them : after which 

 they made the nest in the usual style." H. II. 



The usual food of domestic Pigeons is gray peas, but 

 they will thrive also on wheat, barley, and the smaller 

 pulse and grain. Tares are mostly too dear with us to 

 feed them with. They are fond of the seeds of many 

 wild plants, and no doubt render good service in pre- 

 venting the increase of weeds in those fields which they 

 frequent. A great treat to them is to throw out the 

 rubbish, after a threshing of wheat or barley is dressed, 

 on some lawn, or in some orchard, where it can do no 

 harm. They will search days together amongst this for 

 dross corn, poppy-seeds, &c., and get many a meal from 

 the minute tit-bits that would be utterly lost to cocks 

 and hens. Nor, as they do not scratch, are they inju- 

 rious in gardens, unless their little foot-prints be thought 

 an eye-sore. They will not disturb anything which the 

 gardener has properly deposited in the ground, and what 

 they do pick up is what otherwise would be wasted. 

 Hemp-seed, so often recommended, is apt to bring on 

 skin disease. 



