JOSIE AND HIS PIGEOK 



Did you ever see a ruff-necked pigeon? When Josie was six 

 years old his Aunt Margaret brought him one, and Josie named 

 him Billy. He had a ring of feathers round his neck, which looked 

 like the collars we see in old pictures. 



Aunt Margaret cut the ends off the long feathers on Billy's left 

 wing, so that when he tried to fly he went round and round, but 



could not get over the fence. By and by the feathers grew out 

 long again, and then Billy flew up on Mr. Davidson's barn, and 

 would not let the children catch him any more. 



Mr. Davidson has chickens, and Billy flies down and helps them 

 eat the crumbs and scraps that are thrown out to them every day. 

 But he did something worse than this last summer. The chickens 

 had a pan of fresh water every day to drink, but Billy would fly 

 down and bathe in the pan. Was not he a bold fellow? 



