46 



PIGEONS. 



As it is necessary to capture the birds at times, a common cheap landing-net will 

 be found a very useful article in the pigeon-loft, as by its use a single bird can be 

 readily caught without driving the others about and frightening the sitting birds 

 off their eggs and young. 



A supply of drinking-water is at all times an essential requisite. Pigeons are 

 very thirsty birds, drinking a much greater amount of water than most persons 

 would suppose possible ; therefore a good supply is required. This is especially the 

 case when the young are being fed, as, after picking up a cropful of corn or pulse, 

 the old bird has to take a copious draught of water before it can disgorge it into the 

 throat of the young. 



The old fanciers used to employ a large bottle filled with water, and then 

 inverted into a saucer ; but the contrivance is somewhat clumsy, and the common 

 earthenware or metal poultry fountains will be found far more convenient in use. 

 Many fanciers, who are particular about the food of their birds, care but little 

 respecting the water given them. Too much stress cannot be laid on the fact that 

 a supply of pure, clear drinking-water is absolutely essential to the health of the 

 birds. Often have we seen the owner of valuable pigeons bewailing his misfortune 

 in losing so many by sickness, and when we looked at his drinking fountains 

 we found that they contained water contaminated with filth, the presence of 

 which quickly explained the diseased condition of his stock. 



FIG. XII. — MATING OR MATCHING CAGE. 



Another very necessary appendage to the loft is a mating or matching-up cage. 

 For the purpose of breeding birds of any desired properties, it is requisite that 

 the parents should be matched together according to the judgment of the owner. 

 For this purpose all that is necessary is to place them in a mating cage for 



a few days. 



A very useful mating cage is represented in Figure XII. ; it is merely an 

 ordinary pen or cage with an open wire partition separating the two birds ; the 

 cock is placed on one side, the hen he is desired to pair with on the other. It is 

 desirable to remove this pen from the loft, and out of the sight of other birds, 

 when the cock will be seen in a day or two making advances towards the hen ; they 



