TRAINING PIGEONS IN THE EAST. 213 



they become so familiarised that if they are ever separated they 

 easily recognise each other. Abul Fazl says that after being 

 kept together the hen lays her eggs between the eighth and 

 twelfth days, but if young, or sickly, she takes a longer time to 

 lay. In the Mahr month they are put together, and in Farvardin 

 they are separated.* 



Abul Fazl sa} r s that from Molina and his descendants were 

 obtained Kamania. This word literally means records, but to me 

 it seems to imply that the young ones descended from Molina 

 were the best of their kind, and so true and faithful that wherever 

 they were sent, there they arrived and returned directly. Molina 

 is a Hindi word, meaning to charm or fascinate some one ; hence 

 the name of this beautiful pigeon, whose elegant form and good 

 qualities so readily captivated the mind. I am of opinion that a 

 Pigeon of twelve months old is not capable of laying eggs, but 

 one of two years old is generally selected for the purpose. Three 

 years of age is the flower of a Pigeon's life. Young and sickly 

 Pigeons take twenty days before laying eggs [after pairing] ; but, 

 as a general rule, no less than a fortnight is required, even though 

 the Pigeons be strong and in good health. In India the birds are 

 paired at the end of Ausoj, and separated in Besakh. For six 

 months — i. e. from April till August — they live apart ; for if they 

 are allowed to live together, the eggs they lay, and the young ones 

 they bring up, are considered weak. Besides this the weather 

 between April and August being hot and rainy, the cock birds, if 

 allowed to remain with the hens, become weak and exhausted. 

 That is also the time of their cooriez, which to poor birds is like 

 a disease, and their laying eggs while in ill health is sure to 

 produce weakly young ones. 



Abul Fazl says that they lay from one to two eggs at a time ; 

 but I say that, by means of certain medicines administered to 

 both sexes, they are made to lay two eggs regularly every time. 



Abul Fazl says that the cock bird sits on the eggs in the 

 daytime, and the hen bird at night, to give warmth. I say that 

 this sitting on the eggs is called seina, and while thus sitting 

 they never turn sideways ; in other words, they keep their neck 



* Mahr-mah corresponds with October and November, the time when 

 winter sets in, called also Fasl-i-Kharif, and corresponding with the Hindi 

 months of Koonar and Asoj. Farvardin is the spring season, viz., March 

 and April, or Bisakh and Jeith of the Hindi calendar. 



