171 



not have the hay longer than six inches, for the better lajdng in the nest pans; after all 

 I think hay is best, my experience proves it. 



539. You will find your interest in it if you let them have on the floor a small round 

 basket, the wicker one inch and a half apart, filling it with hay as before observed, 

 six inches long, it teaches them to find their pens, they take delight in carrying it to 

 their nest pans, leave off robbing their neighbours ; it is necessary at times to cast your 

 eye round to see the nest pans, for some few of the birds carry so much hay to their 

 nest, that it will surprise you how the eggs do not roU off, and if hatched, the young 

 would be in great danger of falling off the nest, when this is discovered remove a por- 

 tion, still leaving them a good nest, for fear they woiold desert it; my pan may be 

 objected to as being too deep, with the sawdust and matting I can make it any depth 

 as occasion reqtiires. 



540. I observed in a former part of the work, how restless some of the young ones 

 were, would get out of their pans and die of cold; might not this restlessness arise from 

 the belly ache? Why should not young pigeons have the belly ache as well as other 

 things ? I have the advantage in having deep pans, I can take sawdust and matting 

 away, put a httle hay at bottom will confine them to their pans ; they could not get out 

 of a pan four inches deep; the pan being seven inches diameter at the top, large enough 

 for Almond Tumblers, proves the advantages to be derived from snug pans. When 

 the pans have become dirty, necessary to clean them, lay hold of the rush matting, 

 pull it out, scrape it and lay it in the tobacco water, will kill the vermin should there 

 be any, dry it, it will be ready for use agaia; it will be advisable to turn the sawdust 

 into the fire: with respect to cleansing the pan, should there be any insects in the 

 porous parts of the pans, inside or outside, attempting to destroy them with clear 

 water would be useless. I formerly used (after my nest pans were washed) to place 

 them in a large tub of tobacco water which I obtained from the tobacco manufacturers, 

 it being stronger than I could make it, this effectually destroys the vermin and nits ; 

 some Fanciers wash their pans with soda and water; others put them into the 

 copper amongst the soap suds and soda after a " Great Wash," as it is called, not 

 forgetting to give the fire an extra poke. If you make your nests as I do with sawdust 

 and rush matting, instead of putting a little hay on the top of the matting use worm- 

 wood, a small quantity will do, it will cause the insects to leave the nest ; be careful in 

 shifting young birds you do not give a pan with the nest made of wormwood where 

 before it was made of hay, from the strong smell the old birds may smell a rat ; put a 

 little in all the pans. 



541. Whenever you shift young Almonds, be sure and put the number of the pen on 

 the pan, by which you will know the pedigree of the young birds, as soon as pretty 

 well feathered, enter them into a book kept for that purpose: it is useless to attempt to 

 trust to memory if you have a number of birds. You will in your experience find 

 birds some days feed half a dozen young birds, other days not feed at all, and vice, versa. 

 with other birds; you must therefore shift the pan with the young birds where they 

 will get fed, otherwise they will die ; those birds that did not feed will sit and keep the 

 fed birds warm, and feed well the next day; you will perceive it is quite immaterial 

 where the pan is shifted to, having the number on it ; you must put the number on 

 the pan when you give them a clean one ; should you be veiy particular about your 

 nest pans, or use pots to cover your nest pans, have a model made at a turner's, take it 

 to any pottery, they will make it to your pattern; have plenty of nests made in the pans 

 by placing one in another, say twelve high, the weight and pressure forms them nicely 

 — do not spoil a ship for a halfpenny's worth of tar, or else I leave you to guess what 

 will follow. I am at a loss to know why I should have written so much on the subject 

 of insects and cleanliness, for my birds are not allowed to be dirty, unless it be to put 

 you upon your guard against them. The plan I have adopted with regard to making 

 the nests in the pans with matting, sawdust, and wormwood this season, has answered 

 the purpose beyond my utmost expectation. 



542. You will observe paragraph 458, treating on marks by which to ascertain the 

 colours of young birds in the nest, if the beak has no mark on it, is quite white, the 

 bird will be an Almond ; this is true and false at the same time; the Almond will have 

 a white beak, and the white Agate coming from Almonds will have a white beak, the 

 experienced Fancier will, at a few days old discover whether it is an Almond or white 



