The Pigeon in Confinement 201 



his large experience with the wild pigeon in its native 

 haunts ; for, being a keen observer of nature, and hav- 

 ing been a prospector for many years among the timber 

 and mining regions of Wisconsin, Michigan and Can- 

 ada, his opportunities for observation have been ex- 

 tensive. In the fall of 1888 Mr. Whittaker received 

 from a young Indian two pairs of pigeons, one of 

 adults and the other quite young. They were trapped 

 near Lake Shawano, in Shawano County in northeast- 

 ern Wisconsin. 



Shortly after being confined, one of the old birds 

 scalped itself by flying against the wire netting, and 

 died; the other one escaped. The young pair were, 

 with much care and watching, successfully raised, and 

 from these the flock has increased to its present num- 

 ber, six males and nine females. The inclosure, which 

 is not large, is built behind and adjoining the house, 

 situated on a high bluff overlooking Milwaukee River. 

 It is built of wire netting and inclosed on the top and 

 two sides with glass. There is but slight protection 

 from the cold, and the pigeons thrive in zero weather 

 as well as in summer. A few branches and poles are 

 used for roosting, and two shelves, about one foot wide 

 and partitioned off, though not inclosed, are where the 

 nests are built and the young are raised. It was several 

 years before Mr. Whittaker successfully raised the 

 young, but, by patient experimenting with various kinds 

 of food, he has been rewarded. The destruction of the 



