The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



may gather be carefully removed. It should be made 

 of good seasoned stuff, well battened on the outside and 

 provided with plenty of windows facing the south and 

 made to swing outwards. These can then be protected 

 on the inside by wire netting, which will neither exclude 

 light nor air. The roof should be tight and can be 

 either a pitch or shed-roof as fancy dictates. 



Attached to the building, as location permits, should 

 be a large area or flight, enclosed on top and sides with 

 wire netting, the first 3 feet from the ground being of 

 i-inch, the balance of 2-inch mesh ; the i-inch mesh pre- 

 venting rats, weasels, and other vermin from gaining 

 access from this source. Near the top can be arranged 

 a door to fall downwards on to brackets, and thus allow- 

 ing the pigeons, if desired, more liberty, and answering 

 at the same time as an alighting-board or shelf when 

 they return from a flight. This can be arranged with 

 pulleys or reached by a ladder as the owner sees fit. 

 The interior can be fitted with shelves for nests, and 

 these nests made stationary or movable as inclination 

 suggests, but I regard movable nests as the best, for 

 then they can be easily cleaned, and when thought 

 necessary to give the roorti a thorough white-washing, 

 all can be taken out and there be but little obstruction . 

 to the work. 



The little inverted V-shaped perches common in well- 

 appointed pigeon-lofts, and previously mentioned, 

 should be plenty, and placed on the sides of the building 

 away from the nests, and these also should be movable 

 so they can be frequently taken down and cleaned. By 

 placing them one under the other, it prevents the bird 

 above from soiling the plumage of the one under it, and 

 as but one bird can occupy each, it also prevents quar- 

 relling. 



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