PIGEOXS AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 31 



PESTS. 



WE have now arranged to keep out insects, that is as far 

 as it can be done. Tliere is one pest, the long 

 featlier louse, to which I never pay attention. The 

 fact that it preys on tlie feather, and not on the bird has 

 often made me think: tliat they may be a wise provision of 

 natui'e, in ttiat they eat parts of the feather and thus give 

 the bird more air, so to speak. 



Of course I don't like to see a bird all covered with them, 

 but I do not consider that they do a bird much harm. 



If in spite of cleanliness, the little red mites and fleas get 

 in the loft, a little Dalmation powder will settle them. 



What I most detest are cats, rats and mice. As to cats I 

 shall not make any suggestions but only remark that I would 

 not trust one anywhere near my birds. Mice are a nuisance 

 but are never very bad save in a loft where feed lies continu- 

 ally on the floor. Into such a loft, they always manage to 

 make their way. I never waste time on patent traps, but 

 use the old fashioned hole trap that catches them around the 

 neck. They may be shy, but keep the trap well baited, and 

 sooner or later they will fall victims. 



As for rats, I use the old fashioned mink trap, and have 

 never yet seen a rat smart enough to live around my place. 

 At the least sign of the advent of a rat on the place I prepare 

 for him. 1 don't wait till he has made a series of runways, 

 but sink the trap (unbaited) just where he has left his sign. 

 If he has dug a hole trying to get under a foundation, I sink 

 the trap at the hole, covering it loosely with .sand, and he 

 gets a foot or his head in it, when he comes back the next 

 night to finish his job. With a good foundation there is no 

 excuse for letting a rat get into any building. 



Some rats are so smart however, that they will crawl up a 

 wire cage, get in at a loft entrance if it is left open at night, 



