A CAUTION TO FANCIERS. 67 



ailing by nature, requiring constantly to be 

 under the influence of physic to stand upright 

 on their legs. Experience teaches me to form a 

 contrary opinion. Pigeons are of healthy and 

 hardy constitution, and seeing they are not 

 addicted to the suicidal habit of saturating them- 

 selves with alcohol, the bulk of their diseases 

 are conferred upon them gratis by other people's 

 neglect, carelessness, and ignorance. 



To start with, the impression prevails that 

 any place will do in which to house Pigeons. 

 Any place will do if you wish them to live weakly 

 lives and die untimely deaths. If anything is 

 swiftly destructive to the health of our pets it 

 is damp and draught — these things encourage 

 catarrh, croup, and all bronchial complaints. 

 Cold and heat they equably endure, but damp 

 and draught are fatal visitors in the loft. Don't 

 put them in a rickety old shed, through the cracks 

 and crevices of which the winds whistle, and 

 through the roof of which the rain percolates 

 copiously. Make your loft wind and watertight. 



At the same time give attention to 



Ventilation. 

 A besetting sin common to Fanciers is over- 

 crowding the loft — keeping fifty birds where you 



