birds arriving in perfect condition. We have shipped squab 

 breeders to the far west, the south, and distant points in 

 Canada, and have never lost one by death or accident. How 

 is this done? There is a little knack to it. The usual fault 

 of inexperienced shippers is that the box or crate is too high, 

 and too large, giving an opportunity for one bird to pass 

 another by flying over its head. If there is too much room 

 between the top and bottom of the crates feathers will be 

 rumpled and pulled out, and the birds by crowding, will 

 suffocate one or two. A large, heavy crate also adds enor- 

 mously to the express charges. It is not pleasant to buy 

 pigeons and receive them in a cumbrous box weighing from 

 25 to 75 pounds, on which the express charges are more 

 than double what they would be were the birds crated prop- 

 erly. The best wood to use in crating is that of which egg 

 crates are made. It is thin (about one-eighth of an inch), 

 very light and tough and splits evenly. The ends and back 

 of the crate should be made of half-inch or five-eighths pine 

 boxing. If you procure this sawed six inches wide, in vary- 

 ing lengths, you may make up crates to suit your order. The 

 floor or bottom of the crate should be solid, also the sides 

 and back. For the front and top, split the thin stuff about 

 two inches wide and tack to the boxing with three-penny 

 nails. The pigeons should be packed closely (but not too 

 close), giving each room to turn and move about. In the 

 six-inch space they have just about enough room to stand, 

 and the contact of their heads with the top slats will remind 

 them that they must not attempt to fly, and they do not. If 



55 



