THE IDEAL PIGEON HOUSE 3 1 



"with slides as shown at "c", in Fig. 12. The slides 

 on each pen are connected by rods so that all the 

 exits can be closed at one time, if desired. These 

 openings are closed when a bird or pair of birds is 

 caught. At other times, both day and night, summer 

 and winter, they are always open. 



Attached to the frame of the fly, and immediately 

 above the exit and entry holes, is a 12-inch shelf as 

 shown at "i", in Fig. 10, which serves the double 

 purpose of a sunning place for the birds and prevents 

 rain or snow beating into the house through the open- 

 ings. There are a series of doors or gates connecting 

 each yard as shown at "g", Fig. 10. 



The surface of the ground in each yard should be 

 excavated about 6 inches deep and filled with clean, 

 sharp sand. This sand should be removed and re- 

 placed at least four times a year. We find that the 

 sand removed from the yard makes an excellent fer- 

 tilizer, as it contains the droppings of the birds. This 

 sand floor furnishes an ideal place for birds to sun 

 themselves and dry their feathers after their baths. 

 Our yards are always clean and dry, as shown in 



Fig- 15. 



Artificial shading not necessary. — Many of our 



correspondents ask if shade is necessary and whether 



the stretching of muslin or other cloth over the fly is 



not desirable. None of our yards have shade of any 



kind, with the exception of one which gets the shade 



from a large tree in the afternoon. We have never 



noticed any difference in the health of the birds in the 



shaded pen. While we do not believe that artificial 



shade is necessary, there can be no objection to using 



it if wanted. In such a case, however, the muslin 



or cloth should be so arranged that it can be easily 



jrolled up. 



