92 PIGEONS. . 



sociation between a House Pigeon and a cat. The 

 Pigeon had made her nest in a loft much infested 

 with rats, which had more than once destroyed her 

 eggs, or devoured her young ones. Her repeated 

 losses at length induced her to rebuild her nest in 

 another part of the loft, where a cat was rearing 

 three kittens, with whom she contrived to form 

 a strong friendship. They fed from the same dish, 

 and when the cat went out into the field, the 

 Pigeon was often observed to be fluttering near her. 

 The Pigeon, aware of the advantage of her protection, 

 had placed her nest close to the straw bed of the cat; 

 and there, in safety, reared two broods of young 

 ones. And in return for the protection she experi- 

 enced from the cat, she became a defender of the 

 young kittens, and would often attack, with beak and 

 wings, any person approaching too near. 



Considering their insignificant means of defence, 

 consisting, in great measure, of the spur on the leg 

 of the male, few birds exhibit a more bold and reso- 

 lute spirit than the Poultry tribe, in which we may 

 include Pheasants, so nearly are they allied to our 

 common barn-door fowls, in their habits and mode 

 of life. We knew an instance where a barn-door 

 Cock became the terror of his little domain; accus- 

 tomed to be fed by his owner, a clergyman, he shortly 

 began to express his disappointment by very deter- 

 mined attacks, if his master happened to pass him 

 without the accustomed offering. On one occasion 

 he actually struck a piece out of a strong kerseymere 

 gaiter, and repeated the attack, in spite of some severe 

 kicks which it was found necessary to inflict in self- 

 defence. Nothing daunted, though occasionally fairly 



