24 PIGEONS AXI) ALL ABOUT TIIE.M. 



shduld lie fed twice a day in winter and three times a day 

 durinj; the long summer days, taking care never to feed the 

 birds more than they will eal. It is far better to keep them 

 a little hungry. Keep them picking in the sand for food that 

 is not there, and the exercise will do them good. Keniemlier 

 that the finer breeds lead a lietitiouskind of a life. Confined 

 at all times, they ha\e no chance fur the exercise that is a 

 natural part of their being, and man, who coniines them, 

 must study tlieir wauls and keep conditions as nearly natural 

 as possible. 



But as " variety is the spice of life " I give it to my birds 

 I often have the cook make good corn bread liberally dosed 

 with red pei)per, and have lier cook it far more brown than 

 for the table. 



This is one i.'f the best winter dishes thai can jiossibly be 

 for birds. Again, when leaving the table I take scraps of 

 light bread and liiscult, cracker, jiarts of boiled eggs, cabbage 

 lettuce, potato, celery, in fact almost any kind of table sciaps 

 and tlie birds will light for them. 



I am hrmly opjiosed to any sort of a feed hopper that will 

 continually keep feed before birds. It is all very wellto say that 

 when they want it, you want them to have it, but I ask how 

 long could a man keep his appetite, confined in a room with 

 a constantly spread table '.' He would soon loathe the sight 

 of it. As long as my birds fall all over each other to get to 

 the feed I know they are healthy. 



Throwing <lown feed "to last all day'' is another liad idea. 

 The first birds get the best part, ami tlie rest is trampled on 

 till by noon it is not lit to eat. Olean, wholesome food, with 

 plenty of nutritious ijualitics and pure frrxh water are two 

 great points. 



Do not made the mistake of buying "cheap" food, for it is 

 by Ear the dearest in the end. A man would not Iniy refuse 

 food for bis family and thai is exactly what cheap chicken 



