157 



their constant food, when the breeding season is over ; I certainly do. I attribute my 

 having been particularly fortunate, to the observation of the before-mentioned rules ; 

 may venture to say, although my birds are kept in the heart of this great city, enve- 

 loped in constant clouds of smoke from chimnies, foundries, furnaces, &c. , no Fancier's 

 birds are more healthy ; few have raised so many young ones in proportion to their 

 stock, or lost so few old ones from diseases, &c. The only inconvenience which I com- 

 plain of is, the impossibility of keephig the plumage of my birds so clean and beauti- 

 ful as those kept in a clearer atmosphere, which is certainly to their disadvantage, and 

 a great detraction from the beauty of their colours, 



OF THEIR DRINK. 



477. I prefer pump water for their drink, conceiving it to be more bracing and less 

 impregnated with animalculse than cistern or river water, consequently less subject to 

 putrescence in the hot weather. They are great drinkers, not drinking like fowls 

 by little sips, but in continued draughts like quadrupeds, moving their mouths very 

 quick, and swallowing the water greedily. Care should be taken to keep their foun- 

 tains or bottles clean ; it is not at all improbable that diseases may arise from the foul 

 state of a fountain, which will become greatly furred and stink, when the weather is 

 hot, if not frequently cleaned. The fountains or bottles should not be filled too full in 

 hot weather, so that the water may be soon drank and replaced with fresh, which will 

 prevent the possibility of its becoming putrid. Some put a lump of chalk into their 

 water ; this may be very well where there is none but river water to be had, I should 

 think no great degree of astringency could be communicated to the water by it. If 

 any scourings take place among the old birds, the Fancier may break plenty of chalk 

 on the floor, which they will eat readily ; as to the young ones, he must adopt the re- 

 medy laid down on treating of this complaint. 



478. They are exceedingly fond of urine ; will drink it greedily, if they can get it. 

 Some Fanciers soak their loam with it, which induces them to eat a great deal of it. 

 They will scarcely ever leave the place where it is to be obtained. This may be very 

 well for those Fanciers who keep common birds and fly them ; I object to it for the 

 Almond Tumbler, on the same ground as salt, viz., creating an artificial thirst to birds 

 already sufficiently thirsty. Pigeons drink much at all times, particularly when feeding 

 large young ones ; they run to the water, take five or six hearty draughts, and imme- 

 diately feed their young ; this assists in soaking the food ; also in the easy discharge 

 of it from the crop of the old into those of the young. 



OF PARTING THE BIRDS 



AFTEE THE BEEEDING SEASON. 



479. I am a great advocate for this measure, having found my account in it, 

 thoroughly convinced of its beneficial efi^ects, great utihty, and convenience ; I shall 

 convince the young Fancier of the propriety of this plan, by a few observations. In the 

 first place, a great deal of trouble is saved to the Fancier, by the impossibility of the 

 birds going to nest, which they will, if not parted, in spite of all his efforts to prevent 

 them ; he is then under the necessity of continuing them another round, as the Fanciers 

 term it, (though he is convinced of the impropriety of it, at that late season of the 

 year) to the great detriment of the hens, and without a chance of bringing up what 

 they may happen to hatch. In the next place, should the weather set in cold, the birds re- 

 main a little inactive for the moment as it were, the first warm day that comes, though 

 in December or January, they are all alive, calling to nest, copulating, &c,, which is 

 very prejudicial to both, particularly to the hens, it tends to weaken and enfeeble them, 

 and make them what is called pappy, which is caused by their \Mng over salacious, 

 having too frequent connection with the males without going to nest, as they woidd do 

 if the weather was not so cold. Thus we plainly see, the only advantange to be de- 

 rived from keeping the birds together in the winter, is, ironically speaking, to spoil the 

 hens. 



480. And fiu'ther, as few Fanciers match their birds in the manner they were matched 



