r>i Pigeons and All About Them. 



puncture, or along the line of the crack, or by apply- 

 ing a little collodion to the place injured ; the latter 

 dries at once, and forms a coniplete airtight covering 

 over the puncture or crack ; but I prefer the strip of 

 stamp edging mvself. Care must be taken in putting 

 on the collodion not to let it run over the outside of 

 the shell ; and the strip of stamp edging must also 

 only be of sufficient width to co\'cr and hold tbe shell 

 along the line of the puncture or crack. If much of 

 the outside of the shell is covered its porous character 

 i's lost, and the young bird will be suffocated ere it 

 has strength enough to get out of the shell. Further, 

 the day previous to the egg being due to hatch it 

 should be soaked for five minutes in warm water, so 

 as to remove the stamp edging. If this is not done it 

 i'S quite possible the egg will not chip properly o^\'ing 

 to the shell being held together by the stamp edging ; 

 and thus the young bird will not be able to emerge 

 from the shell, and will be found dead, death having 

 been induced by its hidebound condition, consequent 

 on not being able to cast off the shell. 



\'.\LrE OF MOISTURE. 



Some fanciers sprinkle the eggs occasionally 

 during the period of incubation, but this is not neces- 

 sary- if the birds are allowed the daih- use of the. bath. 

 The reason why it is done is to prevent the inner 

 membrane of the shell from becoming hard, tough, 

 and dry. \A'lien it reaches this state the young 1:)ird 

 has a difficulty in penetrating it when the time comes 

 for the shell to be chipped. In its eft'orts to release 

 itself from the shell the \-oung Pigeon pecks at the 

 inside of its prison, going all round' in a straight line 

 at the bottom of the air space in the top of the egg.. 

 If the inner membrane has become hard and tough 

 it does not readily respond to the attacks of the little 

 bird's beak; fivrther, it sometimes adheres to the 

 head of the bird and prevents it working itself round 

 the egg. Those who do not sprinkle the e.ggs da\' In- 

 day during inculcation, often soak them for five or 

 six minutes in blood-warm water the two e\-enings 

 previous to their being due to hatch. Sonic, instead 



