The Pigeon House, Loft, and Aviary. 



31 



be renewed oftener if the place be troubled with insects. Pine sawdust 

 soon loses the pungent smell, which helps somewhat, though not entirely, 

 to drive away vermin. 



Unless pigeon houses are often cleaned out, the smell arising from the 

 dung soon becomes unpleasant. I clean out my own places every 

 morning, and as, from their extent, the time required in doing so is 

 considerable, I have been obhged to find out the most suitable tools for 

 the purpose. These are a triangular steel scraper (Fig. 7) and a steel 

 hand shovel (Fig. 8). The former ia good for all corner places and the 

 latter for broad surfaces, such as the floors and resting boards in the 

 flights. When held at the proper angle, the latter removes everytliing 



Fig. 8.— Steel Shovel. 



opposed to it as fast as one can walk along. It should be of the best 

 steel and kept sharp. Those made of sheet iron wear but a short time. 

 A stable broom, set with stiff Brazil fibre, is also necessary for sweeping 

 all up, when the scraper and shovel have done their part, in freeing the 

 dung from the wood. I have given up using sawdust on the floors for 

 some time, not that I disapprove of it, but merely because I could not 

 procure it conveniently. The labour in cleaning out the houses is as 

 great when sawdust is used as when it is not, for the renewing and 

 riddling of it takes up much time, and when the floors are scraped daily 

 the dung has no time to harden and adhere to the wood, when it becomes 

 more difficult to remove. 



