48 Handbook of Nature-Study 



6. Listen to the cooing of a pigeon and see if you can understand 

 the different notes. 



7. Describe the pigeon's nest. How many eggs are laid at a time r 



8. Describe how the parents share the labors in hatching the eggs, 

 and how long after the eggs are laid before the young hatch ? 



9. How do the parents feed their young and on what material? 



10. What are the enemies of pigeons and how do they escape from 

 them? How can we protect them? 



11. Describe how a pigeon house should be built. 



1 2 . What must you do for pigeons to keep them healthy and com- 

 fortable? 



13. How many breeds of pigeons do you know? Describe them. 

 Supplementary reading — "Amaux" in Animal Heroes, Thompson 



Seton; Audubon Leaflet, Nos. 2 and 6; Neighbors with Wings and Fins 

 Ch. XV; Noah and the Dove, The Bible; Daddy Darwin's Dove Cote, 

 Mrs. Ewing; Squab Raising, Bui. of U. S. Dept. Agr. 



For my own part I readily concur with you in supposing that housedoves are 

 derived from the small blue rock-pigeon, Coluinba livia, for many reasons. * * * 

 But what is worth a hundred arguments is, the instance you give in Sir Roger Mostyn's 

 housedoves in Ccernarvonshire ; which, though tempted by plenty of food and gentle 

 treatment, can never be prevailed on to inhabit their cote for any time; but as soon as they 

 begin to breed, betake themselves to the fastnesses of Ormshead, and deposit their young 

 in safety amidst the inaccessible caverns and precipices of that stupendous promontory. 

 "You may drive stature out with a pitchfork, but she will always return:" 



"Naturam expellas furca * * * tamen usque recurret." 

 Virgil, as a familiar occurrence, by way of simile, describes a dove haunting the 

 cavern of a rock in such engaging numbers, that I cannot refrain from quoting the 

 passage. 



"Qualis spelunca subito commota Columba, 

 Cut domus, et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi, 

 Fertul in arva volans, plausumque exterrita pennis 

 Dat tecto ingentem, mox aere tapsa quicto, 

 Radit iter liquidum, celeres neque commovet alas." 



(Virg. Aen. v. 213-217). 



"As when a dove her rocky hold forsakes. 

 Roused, in a fright her sounding wings she shakes; 

 The cavern rings with clattering: — out she flies, 

 And leaves her callow care, and cleaves the skies; 

 At first she flutters: — but at length she springs 

 To smoother flight, and shoots upon her wings." 



CDryden's Translation). 



White of Selbolrne. 



