82 THE PIGEON BOOK 



Care must be taken to keep the lather out of the eyes 

 and mouth. 



After gently drying as directed with the towels it is best 

 to place the bird in a clean box with a wire front in the 

 kitchen, but not too close to the fire, or the feathers may 

 curl up in the drying process, a'nd the bird will look a 

 pitiful object. 



I like the small baskets for drying purposes made 

 of open wicker, which are really the exhibition baskets 

 used in Belgium ; there they do not use pens, but each 

 man takes his bird to the show in one of these baskets and 

 supplies his own pen in this manner with number already 

 attached. 



Plenty of straw-chaff should be placed at the bottom 

 of the drying-basket or box. 



In the case of a few feathers only being soiled Scrubb's 

 ammonia and a little warm water and soap will easily 

 remove grease and tar stains. 



Birds must not be sent to shows in any sort of baskets. 

 Baskets with suitable divisions must be obtained for the 

 purpose, the divisions to be of a size to suit the variety. 

 In sending birds to shows the greatest care must be taken 

 to see that each bird is in the correct division of the basket 

 to agree with the pen numbers on the labels. 



Carelessness in this respect may lead to birds being 

 penned in the wrong classes. 



Another point of importance is to see that the address 

 label to the show is properly and firmly attached. 



The rules of the show must be strictly complied with 

 as to time of delivery. Many a good bird loses its chance 

 of success through arriving at the last moment and being 

 hurriedly penned; consequently it has not settled down 

 comfortably before the judge arrives to deal with it. 



In the case of some varieties a little plucking is often 



