74 THE PIGEON-FANCIER. 



can afford to be without it. It is the great cure- 

 all. Besides removing insects it cures rotten 

 feathers, canker, wing disease, eye disease, and 

 megrims. I cannot sing its praises too eulogis- 

 tically. It has proved an invaluable ally to me 

 in the hospital pen, and also to another Fancier, 

 Mr. Woodhouse, who kindly divulged to me the 

 secret of its healing virtue. 

 Now a few words about 



Diet. 

 Feed small birds on small seed. Mr. Wood- 

 house attributes much of his success in rearing 

 to adopting this method. Millet, rice, wheat, 

 dari, small maple peas, tares, canary, and rape 

 are all good, making tares the staple food, be- 

 cause to pigeons they are what bread is to man 

 — plain healthy food, neither fattening nor stimu- 

 lating, but nourishing. Beans and maize should 

 not figure on the menu for short-faces. Always 

 purchase the best quality. Whether Carlyle's 

 dictum " cheap and nasty " is true in politics and 

 clothes I leave the reader to judge, but in pigeon 

 food I can vouch for its inspiration. Never buy 

 your food ready mixed. Pigeon-mixtures are 

 often made the medium for disposing of a quan- 

 tity of inferior grain, which is almost impercep- 



