DOVECOTES AND PIGEON LOFTS. 47 



may be then placed together, and as soon as the cock is seen calling the hen to 

 nest, they may be regarded as paired, and returned to the loft. Sometimes, though 

 rarely, it is necessary to keep them apart from the general flock a few days longer ; 

 but, generally speaking, there is but little trouble in matching birds together in 

 any pairs that may be regarded as desirable, 



One evil should be strongly guarded against in the loft, namely, a superfluity of 

 male birds, as odd cocks are constantly persecuting the hens that are mated, 

 driving them off their eggs, and causing much fighting and turmoil. If there 

 are too great a number of hens, the evil is much less, as a pair will often 

 mate together, go to nest, lay and sit on four eggs, in the vain hope of rearing a 

 brood ; and, what is still more extraordinary, sometimes two cocks will match 

 together in the same manner, and build a nest. If a pair of good eggs are 

 given to them, they will even sit on the eggs, and hatch and rear the young, 

 in the same manner as if they were a pair consisting of cock and hen. 



"We had a pair of Smerles, or Short-faced Antwerp cocks, that were mated for 

 two seasons, and reared several pairs of young from eggs laid by other birds. The 

 third season one was shot, and the survivor then mated with a hen and bred 

 some exceedingly good homing birds. 



With regard to the food of the birds, we are inclined to recommend a greater 

 variety than that usually employed. The London fanciers are strongly in favour 

 of very small beans, regarding them as superior to all other articles, where the 

 birds are large enough to take them ; but the Short-faced Tumblers cannot possibly 

 feed their young even on the smallest beans, and therefore they are supplied with 

 wheat and tares. Peas, both white and grey, are also extensively used. Whatever 

 variety is employed, care should be taken to select old samples, as new peas, beans, 

 or tares, are almost certain to purge the more delicate varieties. In America, 

 Indian corn or maize is constantly used, being crushed for the use of the smaller 

 breeds. In England, most fanciers have a great prejudice against its employment, 

 but from long experience we can speak very favourably of it as a valuable addition 

 to the dietary of the birds. 



When pigeons are flown they become much more hardy than if confined to a 

 loft, and only permitted to take exercise in a large area, or enclosed aviary. 

 Under these circumstances so much care need not be exercised in the choice of 

 their food : barley, tail-wheat, and even coarse rice, may form part of their food 

 without danger. Pigeons flying in the country find a considerable portion of their 

 own food, and even when an unlimited supply of pulse and grain is afforded them : 

 they pluck off the small seeds of grasses, and eat a quantity of green vegetables, 

 that greatly conduce to their well-being. In the crops of the wild Rock Dove, there 

 is almost always found, as will be seen by referring to Chapter II., numerous small 

 snails ; and we have always noticed that such of our own pigeons that have their 

 liberty, fly to the grass fields after a shower of rain, and pick up the smaller snails 

 that are brought forth by the wet* 



Believing that we cannot do better than follow the natural instincts of the birds 



