7() Pigeons and Ali, About Them. 



withstand the microbes of an}- disease which may be 

 stalking about. It must ever be remembered that 

 birds wtii'ch are onh' half-fed, or improperly fed, axe 

 ever more prone to disease than those which, by 

 reason of good feeding, are strong, lusty, and of full 

 habit. The oa'diiiary rules of life hold good all 

 through the animal world, and what is good for man 

 is also good for beast. 



Therefore, I say to all my ^-oung friends : Never 

 neglect to feed your Pigeons earlv in the morning, 

 especially during the breeding season. It ma}- not be 

 over pleasant to turn out on the frosty mornings of 

 the early part of the season, but it is absoluteh- need- 

 ful if the birds are to do well ; and further, the benefit 

 of the early rising will not all be on the side of the 

 Pigeons, although that should be enough to bring it 

 about. Early rising brings its own reward in in- 

 creased health and vigour to those who practise it. 



THE WE.INING TIME. 



By the time the second pair of eggs are due to 

 hatch the first pair of babes will he able to do for 

 themselves, and thev should be removed from the 

 house in \A-hich they have thus far lived. If it is not 

 possible to remoA-e them to another house — \A-ell, then, 

 they must perforce remain ; but when and wherever 

 possible young squeakers should be removed from., 

 their parents about two or three days before the next 

 family is due. The reasons why this should be done 

 are several. In the first place they mil, if left, inter- 

 fere considerably ^•^-ith the fresh-comers, and with the 

 comfort of the parents, they will be continually 

 clamouring to be fed, and thus will get a share of 

 the food which should go to nourish their vounger 

 brothers and sisters. They ^vill also be climbing 

 about in the nest-pan, and possibly trample the new 

 babes to death; or if they don't do it themselves will 

 cause the parents to do so. Another point in this 

 direction is also worthy of consideration. Should it 

 so happen that the parents are so enamoured of their 

 new family, they may not -make any attempt to feed 

 those whom they know should now be starting life 



