i8 ! 



color different varieties, etc., but for squab raising it makes no 

 difference whether a Duchess is mated to an Antwerp or a 

 Homer to a common bird, the main object bemg a good sized 

 squab and white color when dressed. It would be best policy, 

 however, to mate Homers to Homers, etc. 



Pigeons, as a rule, will pick their own mates, so if thirty 

 cocks and thirty hens be left together in a pen, if all are healthy 

 and vigorous, each will have its mate before a week passes. 



The Nest Pan or Nappie. 



Birds mated this way are usually mated for life, or until one 

 or the other dies. The main point in mating is to be sure the 

 birds are well and hearty, of same age (one or two years) and 

 equally divided, i. e., equal number cocks and hens. Some pigeon 

 men take the trouble to mate each pair separately. This is labor 

 unnecessary. They use a box about 4 feet in length with a tight 

 partition in the center, and place a cock in one side, a hen in the 

 other. They leave them in the box to talk it all over for a week 



