173 



the harder you fly them, the more rough and course you make them. If, on the con- 

 trary, you want them little wonders, or nonpariels, short-faced, lofty-heads with good 

 stops, pearl eyes, fine beaks, and less wattled, then above all things, " Do not let 

 them fly." 



546. As regards loam, spare neither pains or expense to get it as good as possible, 

 soak it in brine, you can get it from your butcher ; turn it out to dry, then only let 

 your pigeons have it during the breeding and feeding season, believing it a great help 

 to old ones in assisting them to feed their young, besides I believe in a measure pre- 

 venting putrescence in the throat of the young birds ; the brine in the loam, I think, 

 sharpens the appetite of the old birds, I know causes them to drink more, which I 

 think assists feeding their young ; besides the brine or salt cleansing the throat or craw 

 of the young birds. I let my birds have it only during the breeding season. 



547. I cannot see the utility of mortar where birds have loam soaked in brine, be' 

 sides having gravel and grit ; on the contrary, I have experienced in my birds the loss 

 of an eye through it. Formerly I used to give my birds crushed mortar, some having 

 weakly eyes, I examined them, there did not appear the slightest siga of a peck from 

 other birds, appeared weakly, as though dust was in them ; I washed them with alum 

 and other eye waters, some of them baffled me, the birds lost their sight. I began to 

 suspect there was something wrong, after consideration took away the mortar, the re- 

 sult taught me I had removed the cause. 



548. G-ravel or grit is absolutely necessary ; my birds have it always. It would be 

 an improvement in getting the grit or small stones that are washed up after a storm or 

 dry windy weather, by the paths or gutters, taking half gravel and half grit, mix toge- 

 ther ; some gravel is so fine, not possessing sufficient little stones, which are essential 

 to assist in grinding and digesting their food. In giving gravel and grit, this must not 

 be done in a careless way, or you may experience what I complained of as regards the 

 eye ; where there is a number of birds flying about the aviary or loft, coming in con- 

 tact with gravel and grit causes the dust to get into their eyes ; place the gravel and 

 grit out of their way in flying. 



549. There is scarcely .«,ny thing I would sooner call your attention to, than not 

 allow a single particle of dust in your aviary or loft. I would not have gravel or grit 

 in my aviary or lofts was it not necessary, it is placed cautiously, after my aviary or 

 lofts are scraped and swept. It will take you some yeaj-s before you have tried as 

 many experiments as I have — some to my sorrow, would occupy too large a space to 

 give an account of all the results. 



550. With regard to their food, there cannot be two opinions, that beans unquestion- 

 ably is the best food possible to give the Almond Tumbler, (provided you can procure 

 them small enough), I would give them nothing else, even through the breeding sea- 

 son, running the risk of choakiug a few young ones in the nest, provided I could get 

 all the old ones to feed upon beans, as some of the very short-faced breeders will not, 

 you ai'e under the necessity of letting them have tares as well. Let your beans and 

 tares be old, of the best quality money will purchase, it wiU be cheap in the end. If 

 laying out money is not a consideration to you, if you ever saw a beautiful sample of 

 very small beans (although new) buy them and lay them aside for two years, it will 

 more amply repay than laying down wine, or money in the funds. The food next to 

 small beans, is sound old tares, and prime hard peas ; old wheat is noiirishing and 

 fattening. It is well to give your birds a change of food, particularly when they are 

 feeding their young, they eat more and feed better ; small hard beans invigorates, 

 braces up, and makes your birds hardy. Some Fanciers are partial to rice. 



551. I vvdll inform you the manner I feed and water my birds, after trying all kinds 

 of hoppers, or other utensils, I found the most simple way the best : I informed you I 

 parted my aviary. I have pieces of wood five feet long, one inch and a half high, 

 placed not exceeding two inches distance from the partition : should you find one inch 

 and a half is wide enough so much the better, it prevents the birds dirtying the food ; 

 there are pieces of wood at each end the width you have it — no bottom, and not a fix- 

 ture, that you may be better able to free it from dust at times, placing bits of wood you 

 can make as many partitions as you please, and give them various kinds of food in the 

 partitions, such as beans, tares, peas, &c., likewise gravel and grit ; there is no top or 



