56 Pigeons and All About Them. 



don't hurry. 

 Having removed a small portion of the shell, and 

 lifted the membrane, if it has been found adhering 

 to the squab, put the egg back under the old bird, 

 and leave it for about one hour ; then have anolther 

 look. It is quite possible j^ou will find that the slight 

 assistance you ga\'e has enabled it to move more 

 freely- in the shell, and that it has gone on with the 

 work of breaking the shell itself. If it has not, you 

 can do a little mare, but don't do too much. Don't 

 be in too great a hurry to make the youngsters leave 

 the shell. If it is living and breathing freely be 

 patient, .and the chances are a hundred to one on 

 everj'thing proceeding to a successful hatching. If, 

 however, after several hours you find the bird has 

 made no progress on its o«'n account, you must do a 

 little more yourself. In removing the shell be ver^- 

 careful to keep well within the line of the air space, 

 and above the head of the squab. Should you get 

 below you are apt to rupture some of the delicate 

 membranes with -H-hich the bird is enfolded, said 

 should you do this there is small chance of the bird 

 coming out alive. Keep a sharp look-out whilst you 

 are cracking the shell, and should you sec the faintest 

 trace of blood desist immediately. But one thing 

 never forget in these operations, and that is, the 

 softening influence of a little saliva. 



During damp iveather, there is not, as a rule, 

 much difficulty experienced in hatching out, unless 

 the parent birds are not robust. Then the voung 

 often fail to leave the shell because they have not the 

 necessary vigour to burst the wall of their prison, 

 but when strong, healthy birds are paired, it is onlv 

 in very dry weather that there is much difficultv in 

 this maltter. Prevention, however, in this, as in all 

 other matters, is better than cure. Therefore, it is, 

 as I have said, a good plan to soak the eg.gs in' warm 

 water of the temperature known as blood-heat. The 

 soaking should take place the day before the eggs are 

 due to hatch, and should last about ii\-e Or six 

 mhiutes. There are some fanciers who do not Ixlitve 

 in this soaking of the eggs. They say it is not 



