60 



THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPEE. 



certain -well-known breeders wlio are scarcely ever known to 

 exhibit in any other way. 



Exhibition at public shows is a severe tax on most birds, 

 and they should not be too often exposed to it. Hens of many 

 varieties are speedily rendered useless by over-showing; and 

 well-known show hens should therefore only be purchased 

 with extreme caution for the breeding-loft. The evU is made 

 worse very often by neglect of proper attention. For instance, 

 heavily-wattled breeds need a trough, which must be iriside the 

 pens, since they can neither see to feed properly from the floor 

 of a pen or get their heads through to the outside ; the latter 

 disabUit/ also applies to water. These matters are, however, 

 improving, and it is not our purpose in this work to give any 

 details as to the management of shows. 



Pigeons ai-e sent either in boxes or baskets. For a single 

 "bird or a pair, any box, not less than six inches deep and of a 

 suitable size — such as grocers have by scores — will do, boring a 

 few half-inch holes round near the top. If such a box is for a 

 pair of birds a tliin partition must be fixed in, not square, but 

 slanting, as at a b in Fig. 18, so as to fit the general shape of th* 



bird and keep it from 

 turning round. For a 

 larger number of birds 

 Fig. 19 is the best box 

 with which we are 

 acquainted, and is the 

 result of many trials. 

 The wood for the out- 

 ^'s- 18. side is made as thin 



as consistent with strength, the upper edges being scolloped 

 out for ventilation. The partitions and inner lids are not 

 only very thin — - -j^ of an inch is sufficient — but are pierced 

 with large holes as tliickly as can be arranged. This plan pro- 

 motes ventilation, as well as saving weight. Near the bottom 



