]52 



consistent with the proper degree of strength, the better. The work should be let in, 

 in order to give it a neat appearance. There are people in the Fancy who are carpen- 

 ters tinderstand that sort of work better than a man who is not a Fancier. The bars 

 should not be more than two inches asunder. I prefer a shelf midway between the 

 flooring and the ceiling of the pen, big enough to hold a nest pan, for the birds to 

 pitch upon when they fly up to it ; by this means the youngest may always be preven- 

 ted getting into the new nest with the old ones when they are gone to nest again ; thus 

 many a pair of eggs may be saved. When the old ones begin to leave their young, 

 which they will generally do in nine or ten days, and frequently sooner, remove the 

 pan with the young ones from the shelf to the floor of the pen, the old ones will not 

 not forsake them ; continue to feed them as before ; the hen will sit on them at night 

 as usual. A few days afterwards, when you perceive they are anxious to go to nest 

 again, put them a fresh pan on the shelf, which they will readily take to. This plan 

 may be pmsued all through the season, and save a vast deal of trouble and loss. 

 Though I have said it is desirable to have a warm aspect for the areas, I by no means 

 wish it to be understood that I think the loft should be kept warm ; on- the contrary, 

 it should have a free current of air, and in winter, except in very coarse days, I think 

 the birds cannot be kept too cool, being convinced it braces them, particularly the 

 hens. It is only at the laying time, in the Spring, I recommend the loft being shut 

 up, to keep out the cold searching winds, as the hens are at this time frequently 

 very ill. 



454. The loft and areas should be scraped every day, kept thorough clean : the birds 

 will be much more healthy, never get clogged with dirt : the Fancier will have greater 

 pleasure in going into his loft : besides all this, it will prevent the possibility of fleas 

 and other vermin infesting. A little water sprinkled on the floor in hot Summer 

 months, provided the Fancier does not gravel his loft. Some use this method of gra- 

 velling the floor, which I disapprove on account of the dust it makes, the harbour it 

 affords for vermin, the birds should always have access to gravel. 



455. Above all take care the loft is not infested with rats or mice ; the former will 

 not only destroy the eggs ; the young ones also, and even the old ones if no young ones 

 are to be had. A good cat, trained up in the loft and well disciplined, will remedy all 

 this. I recommend a boar cat ; he should be castrated, that he may not be hanker- 

 ing to get out after the females, or entice others to the loft. A she cat is objection- 

 able on the same account as an uncut boar cat is. These are more formidable enemies 

 in their natural state than any other ; the loft, on that account, should, if possible, be 

 inaccessible to the approach of cats. If this cannot be managed, they must be trapped, 

 and all means used to prevent their ravages, not omitting to make the bars of the areas 

 proof against their paws, 



OF PENNING THE BIEDS, 



456. The birds being paired, the next care must be make them acquainted with their 

 respective pens ; for this purpose they should be penned up for a few days, or longer if 

 necessary, in the pens designed for them, during which time they wdll match strong, 

 and become well acquainted with their habitations. The Fancier should then begin 

 by opening two of the pens that are most remote from each other ; the birds, finding 

 no entrance to any other, will readily learn to know the place they came out of. When 

 these two pair are well acquainted with their pens, they should be fastened up again, 

 and two other pair let out, remember to let out such as are most distant from each 

 other, by which means they wiU be less liable to mistake each others, home. He must 

 proceed till the whole are well acquainted with their respective abodes. Care should 

 be taken to prevent a cock getting master of two pens ; if once he gets a habit of 

 going into another birds pen, be assured he will never rest till he has driven that cock 

 and hen from their house, spoilt their eggs, or killed their young ones. When this is 

 become very troublesome, the only remedy is, to put him and his hen into another 

 room, for it is almost impossible to break him off this trick if once he gets master. 

 Thus the advantage of dividing the loft is clearly shown ; without this convenience, 

 he must be under the necessity of keeping that pair of birds constantly penned up, 

 which would be very prejudicial to their health and fill them with vermin. During 

 this period, the young Fancier must bestow a little time in watching them, and putting 



