The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



A little experience will teach one to select the young 

 pigeons, even though they have stopped squealing. A 

 glance at the bill, the feet, or the plumage will soon de- 

 termine the age. No doubt any one located so as to be 

 able to collect these pigeons from the markets would 

 find it more profitable than the business of raising the 

 squabs from the egg. In fact, many of the pigeons fat- 

 tened as I recommend could not be told from the squab 

 just from the nest. 



In this connection, it is interesting to note the ideas 

 that people of one hundred years ago entertained re- 

 garding the edible and medicinal properties of pigeons. 

 One writer says, "The flesh is not so easy of digestion as 

 that of chickens," and another, " That the eating of their 

 flesh is profitable against the plague, insomuch that they 

 who make it their constant or ordinary food are seldom 

 seized with pestilential distempers." Others commend it 

 against the palsy or trembling, also say "It is of great 

 use and advantage to them that are dim-sighted, and 

 that the flesh of young pigeons is restorative and of 

 good use to such as are in consumption, and to recruit 

 the strength of such as are getting up or nearly recov- 

 ered from some great sickness. It is indeed savory and 

 good food, and not much inferior to the most esteemed." 



For outward application they say, "That the anus of 

 a live pigeon applied to the biting of a serpent, viper, 

 or rattle-snake, draws away the poison and cures the 

 sick, being renewed as often as the pigeon dies. Ap- 

 plied to the soles of the feet in a fever, it draws away the 

 fever and helps the megrims or headache. Cut up alive 

 and applied to the place pained, eases the pain and 

 draws the malignity if any be; for the vital spirit yet 

 remaining" in the hot flesh and blood do insinuate them- 

 selves through the pores of the skin, into the blood of 



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